October 28, 2020 — Question Period — Finance — Support for Children and Families
Hon. Rosemary Moodie:
Honourable senators, this question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Senator Gold, in September, UNICEF Canada released a report on the state of children in Canada in comparison to other OECD countries. Canada was ranked in that report thirtieth out of 38 countries in terms of the well-being of our children. We ranked twenty-eighth on spending on children and families, spending 1.68% of GDP compared to the OECD average of 2.38%. Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand are among the countries that spend more than us on children.
Canadian stakeholders have pointed to the need for parental leave and better access to early childhood education and care as part of a broader number of social policies to help Canadian children and families. However, these policies, Senator Gold, are not possible if the government does not make the investments needed.
Does the government believe its current level of spending on children is sufficient? If so, can you tell us why?
Thank you for your question, senator. I think we all listened with great interest to your speech yesterday, and your motion, and your passionate defence of children and advocacy on their behalf.
I don’t have an answer for you with regard to the government’s view as to its current spending, and how the government’s spending fits in with and complements the spending of both provincial and territorial governments. I will make inquiries and will be pleased to report back to you.
Senator Moodie:
Again, Senator Gold, the government’s main investment in families and children is through the Canada child benefit, yet this benefit is insufficient in many ways and has been described by many advocacy groups as a half measure or not going far enough.
Can Canadian families expect more help through an addition to the CCB in the next budget? Will the government commit to protecting children from post-pandemic budget cuts?
Senator Gold:
Again, senator, thank you for your question. We are awaiting with interest a number of initiatives from the government — initiatives that will continue to provide assistance to Canadians and their families and, therefore, to the children of those families, in addition to the specific benefit to which you referred.
This government has been clear — and has been criticized by some in this chamber for its clarity — that it will do whatever it needs to do to make sure that Canadians, their families and their children get through this pandemic as best as we can and so we can recover as a strong society as we transition out of this pandemic.