During the 2006 election campaign, Martin said the Liberals would commit an additional $6 billion to subsidizing day care when the first allotment runs out in 2009 -- increasing the Liberals' commitment to $11 billion through 2015

   A Liberal government will make “not-for-profit” facilities eligible for the next funding phase of the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund and the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund

   In the 2005 budget, Martin’s Liberals promised $295 million for housing construction and renovation on reserves and $100 million to enhance early learning and child care opportunities for First Nations children and families living on reserves

   Offer a child-care allowance of $1,200 a year for each child under six, to be taxable in the hands of the spouse with the lower income

   Another $250 million in annual tax credits to fund a community child-care investment program, which the party says will create 125,000 new child-care spaces over the next five years

   Honour the government’s existing bilateral child care commitments for one year

   The NDP supports the public delivery of early child care and wants to develop a strategy to ensure a high quality national early learning and child care program.

   The NDP wants the plan extended so as to phase out for-profit day care centres, bringing them into a new funding regime and restricting funding to for-profit day cares.

   They would also like to see protective mechanisms to ensure that public money goes only to public and non-profit services. And they want a public agency to oversee the provision of services.

   Ensure Ottawa transfers funds to Quebec’s existing low-cost day care program

   Create tax incentives for businesses to implement flexible schedules and on-site childcare

   Boost funding for early childhood education

   Link local childcare and education centres into a national network