How much childcare for $261,469 ? (en francais)

Sara at Choice for Childcare has a good post on the funding of daycare lobbyists. I thought I would follow through on one of the links and take a look at what value for money Canadian taxpayers were getting for this.

Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada: $261,469

Minding our Ps and Qs: Pedagogy, Policy and Quality

The Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada is a pan-Canadian, non-profit membership-based organization dedicated to promoting quality child care which is accessible to all.

The project's objectives are:

to increase knowledge of curriculum issues in national policy making through dissemination of research findings and current issues;

to increase collaboration between sectors involved in early learning and child care through public consultation to identify and implement common values and early childhood educational goals; and,

to create a national curriculum/pedagogical framework that will provide a common foundation on which to build programs that enhance children's early learning and development.

So were giving them over a quarter million dollars to lobby the government on 'curriculum issues and network with other like-minded advocacy groups. The third point is supposed to provide the justification for the funding. If the federal government wants to develop a 'national curriculum/pedagogical (teaching) framework' they have the appropriate public servants to do so, in conjunction with their provincial counterparts.

The Canadian taxpayers should not be funding advocacy/lobbyist groups to develop policies and programs or to conduct research. If the government wants to fund research on these issues, then direct the funds to the appropriate accredited university.

If these organizations wish to continue advocating specific issues, they are free to do so with their members money, not the taxpayers.

If you want my money than ask me up front and convince me to support your cause. Stop picking my pocket through the government.