At the end of a legal process which lasted almost six years, the Court of Appeal rendered its judgment on February 7 concerning the exclusion of asylum seekers from the program of access to subsidized childcare services. This decision, which we welcomed, is unequivocal: the exclusion in question, in addition to violating the right to equality, constitutes a discriminatory measure, particularly against women. But, twist of theater: now the Legault government, in an act which probably resembles judicial relentlessness, wants to bring the case before the Supreme Court by asking the Court of Appeal in the same breath for a stay in the application of his judgment.
Once again, it is the women, their families and their children who will be the first to bear the brunt of this relentlessness. Unless they benefit from a reduced contribution rate to be able to send their children to an educational childcare environment, these asylum seekers will too often be forced to make the difficult choice of staying at home to look after their children.
The government’s lack of overall vision in such circumstances is both revolting and alarming: what better way to integrate asylum seekers and their children than to allow them, like all other Quebecers, to have access to the network of educational childcare services which are our early childhood centers (CPE) and our educational services in a family environment?
The winning model does not have to be invented, it already exists: CPEs are quality educational childcare environments whose reputation is well established. When compared to private daycares (subsidized or not), CPEs offer an environment where educational quality takes precedence, not profit; exactly what asylum seeker families need.
For their part, those responsible for an educational childcare service (RSGE), thanks to their proximity and the small size of the groups in their childcare environments, could welcome the children of asylum seekers and facilitate their arrival in their new host society. In Montreal, as everywhere else in Quebec, our members say they are ready to welcome them.
Integration
By having access to places in CPE and in an educational childcare service in a family environment, these children would therefore obtain the best of the Quebec model for, among other things, learning French, familiarization with Quebec culture and preparation for kindergarten. 5 years. For parents, these places are also excellent places for socializing where they could develop a network of local contacts and build friendships in addition to building bridges with their host society and being informed. services to which they are entitled. That said, let us be clear: it is not a question here of asking for privileges for anyone, but of allowing refugees awaiting a decision to register like everyone else for the various basic public services.
Of course, asylum seekers who can send their children to subsidized childcare and quickly obtain a work permit will ask for nothing better than to enter the job market. By making the process easier for them, the government will kill two birds with one stone and will be able to partly resolve two problems considered crucial: the labor shortage and the economic burden resulting from the reception of asylum seekers. Rapid access to open work permits and, above all, permanent residence is also important to enable their integration into the labor market.
There is actually a lack of places to meet childcare needs in the network, a situation that we have been decrying for a long time. However, the solutions are known.
First, get new CPEs up quickly. Prioritize the development of places in CPE rather than in subsidized private daycare. The government has given itself plenty of room to build the CPEs itself, promising since it came to power to “complete the network”. He has now been in power for almost six years and we are still struggling to meet demand. The government can and must act.
Then, significantly and quickly increase the working conditions of qualified educators so as to make the technique of childhood education more attractive. This is how the government will be able to sustainably resolve the shortage of qualified educators which has persisted for too long.
Finally, use the coordinating offices to direct families of asylum seekers to available RSGEs and continue to improve the conditions of this model, which perfectly meets the requirements that young parents may have.
But one thing is clear: targeting asylum seekers is not and will never be the solution.