The past decade has witnessed a surge of government activism in the area of childcare policy. Culminating in the five year, 5 billion dollars initiative the federal government announced in its February 2005 budget. This activism has been justified by social and economic trends that show women joining the work force in record numbers and a growing number of families headed by single mothers.
In 1999, 69% of women with children under 16 were om the paid workforce, up dramatically from 39% in 1976 (Stafford.2002). over roughly the same period, the percentage of families headed by single parents ( the vast majority of them women) grew from 9.4% in 1971 to 16% in 2004 (statistics Canada, 2005a). Childcare has assumed additional significance in light of provincial reforms intended to encourage welfare recipients, including single parents, to make the transition from dependency to employment (scharfer et al., 2001 ; Gabel, Clemens, and LeRoy,2001).
In 1999, 69% of women with children under 16 were om the paid workforce, up dramatically from 39% in 1976 (Stafford.2002). over roughly the same period, the percentage of families headed by single parents ( the vast majority of them women) grew from 9.4% in 1971 to 16% in 2004 (statistics Canada, 2005a). Childcare has assumed additional significance in light of provincial reforms intended to encourage welfare recipients, including single parents, to make the transition from dependency to employment (scharfer et al., 2001 ; Gabel, Clemens, and LeRoy,2001).