Got an email earlier today from a friend who was insulted by comments made by PMO spinner Scott Reid on CBC Sunday Morning,
“Scott Reid said of [the] 1200.00 per child child care plan that “Canadians would spend that on beer and popcorn”.
Later on in the day, on CTV’s QP, Liberal strategist John Duffy refused to back down from the statement. If the Liberals are going to handle this as their wedge on the childcare, it is extremely offensive as my friend wrote.
I agree.
As Tim Powers remarked in the CTV clip, even Sweden who implemented a similar version of the Liberal childcare plan is moving to the Conservative plan.
Most people would agree that parents know how to raise their children better than some overblown bureaucracy. The Liberal position is that parents would rather buy “beer and popcorn” than use the government money help a stay-at-home dad buy baby formula, help parents buy a nice gift for grandma for taking care of the kids, or to help a mother buy educational books for the little-one who’s learning to read. The Liberal plan, I agree, limits choice. The value of the money invested in the Liberal plan will depreciate drastically as it is funneled through countless levels of bureaucracy.
Does anybody think that since Paul Martin’s self-annointed healthcare crown was so forcefully knocked off by the Chaouilli decision, that he’s now trying to be the champion of childcare?
Is anyone buying this?
UPDATE: Scott Reid on beer and popcorn (video)
UPDATE: ProudtobeCanadian.ca has a longer video with some more context.
UPDATE: Greg Staples on Paul Martin’s backpeddling of Reid’s “dumb” comment.
Martin, asked about the matter at a campaign stop in Beamsville, Ont., quickly backed away from the suggestion.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that parents are going to use (the money) for the benefit of their families,” said the prime minister.
“They’re going to use that money in a way that I’m sure is responsible. Let there be no doubt about that.”
UPDATE: Warren Kinsella believes that this could be what turns the tide for the Conservatives.
IF CANADIAN PARENTS DIDN’T HAVE A REASON TO VOTE AGAINST PAUL MARTIN’S REGIME BEFORE, THEY DO NOW. — Warren Kinsella
UPDATE: Paul Martin has taken back the “dumb” comment by Scott Reid, but Liberal strategist John Duffy later stood by these comments on CTV. The PM has yet to clarify John Duffy’s comments.