Solving child care crisis focus of major national conference

WINNIPEG, Nov. 10, 2014 /CNW/ - More than 500 people will meet here later this week to discuss policy solutions to the continuing crisis in child care. ChildCare2020: From Vision to Action will draw people from all parts of the sector to debate key child care issues and shape a vision of child care for 2020 and beyond.

This is also the first major opportunity for a large assembly of stakeholders to analyze the Conservative's policy on income splitting and increasing the Universal Child Care Benefit, as well as the NDP's child care policy platform, and to hear from the Liberal Party of Canada.

What:	ChildCare2020: From Vision to Action, childcare2020.ca
When:	November 13-15, 2014
Where:	Winnipeg, Fort Garry Hotel
Thursday, November 13
Opening address:	Honourable Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba
Keynote speaker:	Stephen Lewis
Friday, November 14
Plenary session:	Policy experts from Canada and abroad on the best way forward, based on best practice evidence
Political session:	Thomas Mulcair, Leader of the Official Opposition, will speak, followed by a video message from Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. Then there will be a panel of party critics or representatives. (As of this writing, no Conservative Party representatives have accepted the invitation to participate.)
Mini-plenary:	David Macdonald, senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives will speak on his recent study on child care parent fees in Canada as part of a panel on "Who pays for child care now and how should it be paid for in the future." (Also running on Saturday).
Saturday, November 15:
Plenary Session:	Child care champions Ken Dryden and Olivia Chow will speak about their ideas for the future of child care based on their experience as elected officials.
Town Hall:	Ideas for action on the conference's vision for early childhood education and child care.

Visit childcare2020.ca for a more detailed agenda and a list of conference mini-plenaries and workshops. Follow us on twitter @childcare2020 or #childcare2020 for updates before and during the conference.

Sponsored by the Canadian Child Care Federation, the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada and the Childcare Resource and Research Unit.

SOURCE: Public Service Alliance of Canada

or to inquire about media passes or arranging interviews contact: Bozica Costigliola, Chidcare2020 Communications: [phone], [email protected]