The BC Liberals will “put at risk” lowered costs of child care in the province, according to a Burnaby BC NDP candidate in a statement on the same day the Liberals announced their child-care plan.
Katrina Chen, who had been the minister of state for child care since she was first elected to the legislature in 2017, said BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson has “consistently opposed the BC NDP plan that reduced the cost of child-care fees.”
In a news release, the NDP pointed to a quote from Wilkinson in an April 2018 Global News interview, in which he called the NDP’s plan “very expensive.” The party further pointed to comments by the Liberals’ child-care critic, Chilliwack-Kent candidate Laurie Throness, suggesting child care would be unnecessary if one parent stayed home.
“For 16 years, the BC Liberals did nothing to make child care more affordable. Andrew Wilkinson and Laurie Throness have voted against and attacked our child-care investments every step of the way,” Chen said in a written statement. “Wilkinson’s record shows that he can’t be trusted not to cancel our investments and drive up the cost of child care. He is a risk parents can’t afford.”
At the same time, the Liberals announced their own $1-billion child-care plan. While the BC NDP is working towards universal $10-a-day child care, the Liberals announced a similar, income-tested program.
Under the Liberals’ plan, families making up to $65,000 would pay $10 a day, while families with incomes of up to $90,000 would pay $20 a day and families making up to $125,000 would pay $30 a day.
“Parents and kids who need child care now will have already graduated high school by the time the NDP’s promised plan actually kicks in,” Wilkinson said in a news release. “Unlike John Horgan and the NDP, who are bribing parents with fake promises, our fully costed plan will make sure those who need affordable child care actually get it.”
