2)
To add to my rant above, I notice the following statement from Leslie Church (parliamentary secretary to the minister of jobs and families) in the news conference about it:
"Early learning & childcare is part of the economic and social plan for building Canada Strong. When we invest in our children we invest in the future of our country. We're lowering costs, expanding opportunities, and protecting the vital social programs that Canadians rely on, from child care to dental care to pharmacare."
Of note is her mention of "pharmacare". As noted by Toronto Star columnist Althia Raj, this government has not increased its pharmacare funding. Four provinces signed on when Trudeau was in office, but others have since been given the cold shoulder. Raj feels it's clear they're phasing this out.
"Without a line item in the 2025 budget or this week’s economic update, Carney’s government isn’t just signalling it’s not putting more money into the program to expand it to more populous provinces, it’s saying to those 17 per cent of Canadians who benefit that they’ll be in the lurch past 2029. The program is ending."
