THE BC Liberals say that during a tour of childcare facilities in Surrey last week, NDP MLAs Mike Starchuk and Katrina Chen, who is the Minister of State for Child Care, held a photo-op on the playground of a childcare centre just days after their government cut off all of its provincial funding.
“I’m appalled that the Minister who is responsible for child care would be so brazen as to take a photo to promote child care centres in front of an operator whose funding she just slashed,” said Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford on Monday.
“As a direct result of the minister’s decision to cut the operator’s funding, they had to cut their early years programming, leaving our community without childcare it desperately needs.”
Earlier this month, parents were informed in a letter from Alexandra Neighbourhood House that, “after 40 years of providing universal neighbourhood-based access to Early Years Intervention and Prevention programs for the children and families in the South Surrey/White Rock area, Alex House has received notice from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, that our funding will not be renewed.”
“Surrey parents are growing tired of flashy promises from the NDP government but no action on the ground. From their failure to eliminate school portables, to no maternity ward in the plans for the new Surrey hospital, to the lack of affordable childcare spaces — the broken NDP promises continue to pile up,” said Halford.
“To take a cheerful photo in front of a childcare centre they are actively shutting down services for sums up this NDP government. They talk a good game and offer plenty of promises to voters here in Surrey but they consistently fail to deliver. Instead of empty photos or promises, it’s time for the NDP to get serious about delivering for Surrey.”
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