Shortage of childcare spaces | Legault accused of contempt by calling a member of “Mother Teresa”

(Québec) Les oppositions ne digèrent pas les propos tenus par François Legault à la période de questions, jeudi, où il a dit tout haut « Mère Teresa » face à une députée qui questionnait Québec sur le sort économique des femmes qui n’ont pas de place pour leur enfant en garderie.

Hugo Pilon-Larose
La Presse

Le gouvernement de la Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) était alors talonné de questions au Salon bleu dans le contexte où des mères de famille rassemblées au sein du mouvement Ma place au travail assistaient aux travaux dans les tribunes.

« La CAQ sait très bien que les places qu’elle a annoncées […] do not meet the needs of parents who already have their child in their arms. The CAQ knows very well that for parents who currently have no room [dans une garderie]there are significant long-term financial consequences, ”denounced the solidarity deputy Christine Labrie.

“It doesn’t surprise me that they abandon these women. What surprises me is that they continue to say that they are feminists”, she continued, before the Prime Minister replied, not knowing that the microphones were open, “Mother Teresa”.

A “sacrificed” generation

At the start of the afternoon, the opposition parties held a press briefing in the lobby of parliament with Myriam Lapointe-Gagnon, founder and spokesperson of the Ma place au travail movement, as well as mothers involved in the movement, accompanied by their child.

Through the chirping and babbling of babies in their mothers’ arms, the opposition denounced the Prime Minister’s “contempt”. “He should apologize for his contempt, […] it’s [ce] which bothers me. I would like him to stop being contemptuous of women who are impoverished,” said Christine Labrie.

“Regardless of their living environment, regardless of their family background, regardless of their parents’ income, children must have access to the same services,” added Méganne Perry Mélançon of the Parti Québécois.

“Next Tuesday, the government will be able to use all the money it has received from the federal government to act on the ground,” added Jennifer Maccarone of the Liberal Party, referring to the budget that Quebec will table next week.

A call to feminism

In her statement at a press briefing, Myriam Lapointe-Gagnon for her part launched a strong call for feminism, recalling that women are the first to pay the price for the shortage of places in the network of educational childcare services at the childhood.

My place at work will demonstrate on Saturday in front of the parliament in Quebec to demand temporary emergency financial assistance for parents who do not have a place in daycare. The movement, which is now a well-established organization, also demands that Quebec include in its “big project” for families (Bill 1, still under study) guaranteed and universal accessibility to the daycare network.

During question period on Thursday, the government refused to give its consent to debate the motions tabled by each opposition party on the subject. The Minister of Families, Mathieu Lacombe, was not present at the Blue Salon for personal reasons, an absence planned for a long time, said his cabinet. Members of the government will also meet representatives of Ma place au travail in the coming days.

Quebec has promised to offer 37,000 new subsidized places in installation by 2025. The reform tabled by Quebec includes an investment of “at least 3 billion dollars, including 1.8 billion in new measures by 2024-2025 “. The government has also pledged “that every child can have a place” when the network is completed.