I've seen a lot of concern about how, exactly, the NDP's plan for public daycare is going to be funded and if it's even possible to fund such a huge expenditure. While I admit we probably won't see much by way of results in the next few years, and there's a lot of financial and practical complications to work through, it's my opinion as a parent for 7 years that public childcare is absolutely crucial to the continued well-being and sustainability for this country and the families that reside within it.

While the increased CCTB maximum the Liberals are promising is appealing and would no doubt have an immediate impact on families if it was implemented, I have to say that I support public daycare as a socioeconomic foundation far more than a quick stimulus that will rapidly decrease in value as soon as inflation rises.

I believe childcare should be considered an essential service, like nursing and teaching. Our family structures have changed so much in the past 50 years but socioeconomics in this country haven't even tried to keep current; it's still operating on the breadwinner/homemaker dynamic assumption. Since it doesn't appear we'll be seeing that dynamic again any time soon, it's time to get the ball rolling on having services that reflect that. My kid is 7- by the time this plan is fully rolled out, there's a very good chance I won't need it. This plan has more value than what you see at a first glance; we'd be setting a standard for many generations of families by implementing this, not just ourselves. I personally would love it if in the future, my grandchildren were in regulated unionized care that my son and his partner would easily afford without having to work full time only to live hand to mouth after childcare expenses. This sort of socioeconomic action is the kind of long-term planning that we want to see in politics.

I have very little doubt that there will be problems as the budget is balanced. But so it also is when you create public healthcare, or a national transit system, or outlaw slavery. Short term problems that pay off in dividends, if not economically per se, than socially. I doubt this will cause the economy to dry up- there's many ways it will actually stimulate the economy if you're looking at 5-10 year trends.

No, this will not automatically make your bank accounts swell, or make it any easier to find good-paying work (unless you're a child care provider's which many people want to be, but there's so few openings for it that are economically feasible). This is something that will continue to stabilise and sustain Canadian families for a long time to come. It's more important than just us and now.