O'Toole takes swings at Trudeau at stop making pitch to parents
Tories promise `more compassionate EI' for new families, adoption strategy
As the election campaign enters its final week, the Conservatives outlined proposals for child care and young families — but leader Erin O'Toole spent most of a news conference in Carp attacking Justin Trudeau.
“The differences between Justin Trudeau and myself are stark,” O'Toole said.
“I grew up in the suburbs. My neighbours were autoworkers. My dad worked for General Motors. When Mr. Trudeau was partying — and we have all seen the photos — I was doing search and rescue missions in the military. Every Canadian has met a Justin Trudeau in their lives. Privileged, entitled and always looked out for No. 1.”
O'Toole's comments appear to be setting the tone for the final leg of the campaign. On Sept. 4, the Liberals released three 30-second television ads attacking O'Toole on abortion, gun control and two-tier health care. Meanwhile, polls released late last week showed the Liberals edging ahead slightly.
O'Toole said Monday the Conservatives are going to “work relentlessly to talk about our positive vision,” but he spent much of his time arguing that the election is a $600-million power grab on the part of Trudeau.
“What would the `sunny ways' Justin think of the prime minister we see today? The one who is dividing the country by clinging to power,” he said.
Most of the details of the Conservatives' childcare and parental benefits package were outlined in a news release.
Among the promises: New parents would be able earn up to $1,000 a month without penalties to their EI maternity or parental leave benefits.
Many lower-income parents can't afford the reduced earnings of EI benefits for a full year of parental leave. This would provide a “more compassionate EI” that would allow parents to keep a foot in the job market while on parental leave, O'Toole said.
He also pledged to expand the Canada Child Benefit by allowing benefits to begin at the seventh month of pregnancy, rather than at childbirth.
The Conservatives say they would also create a national adoption strategy with more generous benefits for adoptive parents, making them eligible for an extra 15 weeks of EI benefits. The plan would increase the Adoption Expense Tax Credit from $15,000 to $20,000.
“This program is about helping families prepare for a family,” O'Toole said.
The news conference was held in a grassy field beside Carp Road with a bouncy castle, children's toys, and toddlers playing as parents supervised.
Christine Hubley, a restaurant manager who has three children, including one-year-old twins, said returning to work part-time during a maternity leave would be appealing. But she also notes that the daily cost of child care would be $130 a day for both of the twins.
Christina White, who works in hospital administration, also has a one-year-old child. She would have liked to return to work part-time, but said it is difficult to find child care for only a day or two a week.
“The system works on an all-ornothing basis,” she said.
Carp is in the riding of Kanata-Carleton, where the Liberals and Conservatives are in a tight race after Liberal incumbent Karen McCrimmon, the MP since 2015, announced she was not seeking re-election.
In this year's budget, the Liberals have set a goal of on average $10-a-day child care within the next five years.
Jenna Sudds, a city councillor who is running as the riding 's Liberal candidate, was critical of the tone of O'Toole's announcement. The Conservative leader had said he intended to make an announcement, but “devoted the majority of his time spewing negative and divisive personal attacks at the prime minister,” she said. “This is not leadership.”
NDP candidate Melissa Coenraad was skeptical of O'Toole's promises.
“Given Mr. O'Toole's record, no one is buying that he's going to support workers the way he has claimed during the campaign,” she said in a statement.
“As a member of Stephen Harper's government and since he's become the Conservative leader, he has consistently put the interests of the wealthiest ahead of regular Canadians by voting against increasing the minimum wage, against the affordable medications and against cheaper phone and internet bills.”
Green Party candidate Jennifer Purdy said the Conservative promises are a “step in the right direction,” but the Green Party is going further with a plan that would make both child care and early learning for children universal, accessible and affordable, along with free pharmacare and dental care. The Green plan has not been costed.
Child care is just one item in the basket of costs for young families, said Purdy.
“For young families, it takes a robust system of support in place, including pharmacare, dental care and affordable housing for families.”