‘Leave more money in their pockets’: Scheer takes aim at federal child-care plan

Not everyone is excited about Saskatchewan’s new child-care deal with the federal government.

The province signed on to a deal Friday morning that aims to provide $10-a-day child care by 2025-26.

But according to Andrew Scheer, the MP for Regina-Qu’Appelle and the former leader of the Conservative Party, it’s not as simple as that.

“Parents know what’s best for their children, not the government,” he said. “Parents should have the choice in determining who will care for their children within their communities, and this is a typical Liberal approach: A one-size-fits-all (plan) that ignores the individual needs of families.

“This Liberal government prefers the one-size-fits-all of big government, (the) government-knows-best approach.”

He pointed out not every family chooses to put its kids in daycare. Sometimes, one parent will work while the other will stay at home with the kids. Other times, the parents may have staggered work schedules so that one parent can watch the children.

The province’s geography is also a concern.

“There are a lot of communities in Saskatchewan that won’t be able to access this type of daycare service, and yet they’ll be paying for it,” he said.

The massive $30-billion price tag is also a major worry for Scheer.

The program will have to be paid for somehow, either through an increase in taxes or adding more national debt. He said it’s another example of the many times the Liberal government has relied on big spending.

“Liberals and NDP members would have you believe that you can borrow money forever without ever facing any consequences from it. The fact of the matter is that money needs to be paid back,” Scheer said.

He also said the value of each dollar goes down as the government prints more and more money.

“The cost of living is going up,” Scheer said. “Grocery items are getting more expensive. Essentials like utilities, all of that is going up. All of that has a cost.

“The Liberals would like you to just focus on the benefit that they’re talking about today, but the cost of that is huge across the board and everybody is paying it.”

Scheer believes a government can’t buy the country out of its problems.

“One of the best things a government can do to help families make ends meet is to leave more money in their pockets,” he said.