NDP urges parents who don't need child care cheques to donate them to party

The federal NDP is encouraging parents who don't need the newly enhanced universal child care benefit to donate the money to the party.

The party's latest fundraising email blast urges supporters to follow the example of Ella, a financially-secure single mother who intends to donate her UCCB windfall to the NDP.

• Justin Trudeau says he'll donate his family's $3,400 UCCB payment
• How the child-care lump-sum payments could affect the economy — and your family's budget

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair has promised that a New Democrat government would keep the enriched UCCB in place.

The fundraising missive comes during a week in which Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has stepped up his criticism of Mulcair for perpetuating a Conservative benefits regime that gives equal payouts to parents, regardless of income.

"The NDP supports Mr. Harper's child benefit — and has consistently — even though we've been pointing out that the Conservative cheques are going to the wealthiest Canadians as well as those who really need it," said Trudeau at his news conference Friday.

The Liberal leader distinguished his party's proposal by saying it would deliver cheques only to those who "need it most."

"The NDP is unfortunately without a plan to grow the economy and help Canadians in meaningful ways," he said.

The NDP's fundraising missive cites an email purportedly sent to Ottawa MP Paul Dewar by a woman named Ella.

Ella says she was disgusted by Employment Minister Pierre Poilievre's "offensive partisan announcement" earlier this week, touting the boost in UCCB payments which parents started receiving this week in a lump sum back-dated to January.

'Dirty little attempt' to buy vote

She says she got her cheque but can't bring herself to cash it because it "feels tainted ... like a dirty little attempt to buy my vote."

"Fortunately, I am a well-educated, financially secure single mom and cashing this cheque (or not) will not materially affect my daughter's opportunities," she says.

"But feeling like my household's votes could be bought by some character in a Conservative golf shirt may."

She volunteers to sign over her cheque to Dewar or, if that isn't an option, to cash it and provide him with a donation.

The fundraising email blast, sent under Dewar's name, concludes: "Ella's not the only one who feels this way ... If you can, please donate and help build the campaign."

Trudeau said earlier this week he would give his family's new cash to a local charity.

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