April on the home front

April on the home front

Caregivertaxprotest2001





April on the home front

Here is a time line for how the protest should proceed.

April 2000

April 1-15

Circulate petition widely to all individuals and organizations that show an interest.

April 16-27

Collect signatures and hits on website and prepare press release in its final form

April 28

send press release to newspapers and magazines across the country

April 30

present the petition to government officials

This is not a formal petition at the House of Commons but a groundswell of public opinion, using e-technology and using the ease of access means available to very busy caregivers.

Now is a good time to raise the issue again. In 1907 Sir Richard Cartwright suggested caregivers be part of the pension plan. In 1970 the Royal Commission on the Status of Women recommended tax breaks for care of the young. These never happened. In 1995 Canada made a commitment along with other UN nations at Beijing to value unpaid labor of women. The national census will soon be upon us and we must ask ourselves whether they will again consider that caregiving is not work. The UN Summit on Children is coming this fall. The National Children's Agenda is on the horizon. Yet child poverty is up. The birth rate is dropping. Family stress is up. What is the best way for the state to provide for the sick and elderly- only in institutions? We have a government that finally has money to invest. Now is the time.