Ottawa doubles parental leave

Moms and dads and organizations that help families are praising Ottawa's decision to double the amount of leave available to new parents.

Business, however, may be cool to the scheme. And even child advocates say the measure is just one part of an overall plan that so far remains unfulfilled.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien announced the leave initiative on Wednesday as part of his government's new strategy to help families.

Chretien says by the start of 2001, mothers or fathers who qualify for EI benefits will be able to stay at home with their babies for up to a full year.

"Nothing is more important than for parents to be able to spend the maximum amount of time with newborn children in the critical early months of a child's life," Chretien said in the House of Commons.

The measure will cost the federal government more than $1.25 billion a year once the changes to the Employment Insurance Act take effect.

Chretien also promised "to make these benefits more flexible to meet the different needs of families and to make them more accessible by increasing the number of parents eligible for support."

The PM did not elaborate.

Chretien announced a series of other ideas meant to help children, all part of the Liberal "children's agenda:"

• Ottawa plans to increase the national child benefit, a tax credit aimed at lower income parents, and to increase support for early childhood development.
Not included, however, is a national daycare program. That was Chretien's child-related promise six years ago, when he came to power.

While the extension of parental leave is meeting with applause, it's the Liberals' omission that's catching as much attention in some circles.

"Where is their commitment to providing subsidies to child care and where is there commitment to providing assistance for people on fixed incomes living below the poverty line," asked Doug Sabourin, who heads a Vancouver agency that helps families.

Sabourin says the EI change will give parents a lot more options, but it doesn't address the high cost of child care.

Moreover, business is cool to the idea.

Small employers may find it hard to give workers a whole year off, says Jane Boyd, a Vancouver-area consultant who advises companies on how to implement family-friendly policies.

Boyd also wonders whether workers who now don't pay into the EI fund, such as the self-employed, will have the new maternity benefits extended to them.

Still, she told CBC News, any measure that lets parents spend more time with their new babies is a positive one.