Chamber members critical of Best Start program

Ken Johnston

The Rainy River Chamber of Commerce received a presentation on the Best Start program last week.
Best Start Coordinator Jeanette Cawston said the visit was part of the organization’s public consultation phase.
Recently she and the Rainy River District School Board met with the public at Rainy River High School to talk about putting a Best Start hub, that could include up to 20 licensed Day Care spots (a total of 90 across the district), in the local schools.
Chamber member Robert Tolen expressed concern that the money being allocated for Best Start is wasteful. “Do the math. It works out to about $10,000 per kid per year,” said Tolen. He added that no one spends that kind of money on daycare now. He is also concerned that the government subsidized daycare will put people that provide informal daycare in their home’s out of business.
Chamber member Melanie Murray echoed that sentiment, “It will destroy the livelihoods of those private daycares.”
Cawston noted that families using informal daycares will be able to access subsidies through the District Social Services Board, just the same as the licensed day care.
Tolen asked, “What is the goverment’s hidden agenda? We are paying for this.”
The program is being fast tracked. At the recent public meeting Cawston and School Board members said they just found out last summer that they had to get plans together for this if they wanted to access the money.
The province is pushing the program through quickly and has put space in schools as a priority for the Best Start program.
Cawston said that studies show that money invested in the early years of a child’s life help them be better prepared for school.
“This is a happy program that is good for kids,” said Cawston.
“Forgive me, but people who work for the government are going to say that,” said Tolen.
Cawston encouraged everyone in the public to come out to a public meeting on December 1st to offer their input.
Tolen was skeptical of the entire public consultation phase. “The plan is already in place.” He was referring to the plan submitted by the Board of Education for use of the district schools to house Best Start. However the board said the plan submitted was very vague and they do want public input on the program.
Sandra Russell, of the Ministry of Children’s Services, told everyone that the early plans were just drafts. “You all have valid points. So come to the meeting (Dec. 1) and help shape it.”