Correct Answer for Daycare: Maybe it’s a Hybrid?

What is the best way for governments to support families with children?, had a plethora of comments and an abundance of ideas.

With 187 respondents responding to the Knowledge Bureau March poll question, 45.99 per cent believed family income splitting and other tax preferences, 45.45 per cent chose universal daycare subsidies and 8.56 per cent thought there should be another way.

Here is a small sample of what people had to say:

“The very thought of the government assuming responsibility for taking care of my children (or anyone else’s for that matter) makes me sick.  Why don’t they just tax families less - that way one parent (father or mother) can stay home to take care of their own children. If the government really wants to help - they ought to just leave people alone rather than inserting themselves into our lives.”
Michael Daneils

“Let the families support themselves. If they can’t afford to support their kids they shouldn’t have them. Why should all single people (no kids) have to support them? We pay the highest in taxes & get practically nothing from the government.”
Penny

“Universal daycare for poorest families; proven that children in poverty areas benefit the most from universal daycare; good investment to prevent problems in the future.”
A. Markmann

“The government needs to help families that are only in the low and middle income brackets not the higher income.  Family tax split has the greatest benefit for higher income earners.  Universal daycare subsidies have no income test either (except for being taxed).  The child tax credit is the best way to achieve this but the income cut-off limits need to be increased because the cost of living in some areas of Canada is far greater than the rest of the country so the definition of low and middle income is not the reality in areas such as the GTA or Vancouver.  As a result, many families are not qualifying for the child tax credit when they should.”
Roberta

“Let me also opine that the Family Tax Credit System benefits those who also pay the most taxes. We can all have various opinions, philosophies and debates about our “progressive” tax system.  As long as there exist vested interests (professions) in perpetuating the level of complexity the only fair solution would be a flat tax system. Until we get there it is what it is.”
Chet

“I agree the governments should not be involved in the day to day lives of taxpayers.  Children are not the responsibility of the government but the parents.  There is far too much control by governments when parents accept money from any level of government to look after their own children. Time for the government to recognize parent’s responsibilities and get back to where taxpayers only have to deal with taxation issues once a year.”
Pat Morton

Don't forget to vote in the April poll, Budget 2015:TFSA limits should be increased to stimulate the economy in the long run.  Do you agree? We welcome your feedback in our comments section.