Four ministers from the Conservative government of Canada fanned out across the country to trumpet an expansion of the child care benefit program today, and opposition parties accuse them of trying to buy votes ahead of an election in October.
Canada introduced regular monthly payments to all families with children after the end of World War II in 1945. The program has changed over the years, but since 2006 the government has paid $100 per month for every child under the age of six.
As of today, that payment goes up to $160 per month and parents of children aged between six and 17 will get $60 monthly. Where families have higher incomes, some or all of the money will be clawed back during the annual tax filing.
Minister wears party logo to announce government program
The expanded program is retroactive to January 2015, so families could be getting large cheques costing the government nearly three billion dollars. Employment Minister Pierre Poilievre began promoting the program in the eastern city of Halifax where he called it “the largest one-time benefit payment in federal government history.”
Poilievre wore a shirt emblazoned with his Conservative party’s logo which appears to break rules designed to keep government and partisan activities separate. The Treasury Board sets rules for Canada’s federal bureaucracy that say “[Government] Institutions must not participate in, or lend support to, partisan events organized for political party purposes.”
‘One could be quite cynical about…the timing’
“It can’t be seen as too much of a coincidence that the election is about three months off and people are getting these nice cheques,” says Gerald Baier, associate professor of political science at the University of British Columbia. “To some degree one could be quite cynical about why the timing is this convenient.”
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Under the expanded plan, recipient families may spend the money however they wish. Some may choose to spend it on child care outside the home. But families where a parent stays home to care for the children are free to spend it as they please.
Benefit to the economy unclear
While the government said the benefits will help boost consumer spending and the economy, the Bank of Canada says parents are most likely to spend only half and to save the other half.
Opposition parties have their own ideas about benefits for families with children. The New Democratic Party promises to create $15-dollar-daycare spots while the Liberals offer somewhat larger payments, but only to families with smaller incomes.
Every riding ‘is strategically important’
As to whether the Conservative government’s expanded benefits will help the party’s chances in the coming election, an analysis by Canadian Press wire service suggests they will have most effect in 20 electoral ridings, 17 of which are already held by conservative Members of Parliament.
“I guess the hope is that they (the conservatives) either hang on to those ridings and add a few more in places where that demographic is well-represented,” says Baier. And how strategically important are those particular ridings?
“Every one is strategically important in an election that looks as close as this one might be. It’s a pretty true three-way race this time around so anything they can do to distinguish themselves…from one another is going to help.”
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