Provincial politicians across Canada are speaking out on behalf of working parents, saying the Conservative plan to cancel the Liberals' national child care program will hurt families and limit high-quality child care.

Ontario's Minister of Children and Youth Services, Mary Anne Chambers, told reporters this week that cutting the $4.8-billion deal with the provinces will be "disastrous," adding she hopes the existing bilateral five-year agreement between her province and Ottawa will be honoured.

Chambers and others are worried the Tories' plan to give parents an annual child care bonus of $1,200 per child under six won't be enough to cover the costs of high quality early childhood education, and will do nothing to promote the creation of more child care spaces.

The Liberals sold their program to Canadians during the 2004 election, offering the provinces more money for subsidizing day care.

The plan was the product of 10 years of research and consultation, and focuses on early childhood development in government regulated day care centres.

Over the last year, the Liberal government signed full funding agreements with Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec, and agreements in principle with seven other provinces. The money was announced in the June budget and first-year funding was placed in a trust fund.

In his last speech as prime minister on Thursday, Paul Martin said he sees the child care program as one of his top accomplishments while in office and doesn't think Harper will be able to rally enough support to defeat it.

"(The) child care (program) is something that I wish we had been able to do ten years ago, but we didn't have the resources," Martin said. "I think they're going to find that that child care agreement is going to happen."

At Stephen Harper's first press conference as prime minister-designate on Jan. 26, he said the Conservative plan of giving parents taxable payments for children under six is one of the most popular parts of the party's platform.

His government also plans to give tax credits to employers and non-profits that create new spaces.

However, Quebec Premier Jean Charest has said he thinks the government must honour the agreements that have already been signed.

He said Quebecers would happily accept the Conservative payment on top of the promised child care funding, but not in its place.

Christine Melnick, Manitoba's Minister of Family Services and Housing, echoed that statement.

The reaction is slightly more varied among the provinces who hadn't signed on before the election.

Saskatchewan's Minister of Community Resources and Employment Joanne Crofford said it costs $6,300 annually for a licensed space with qualified staff.

She said her province pays $3,700 and the rest is up to parents -- who won't be able to afford it with the $1,200 the Conservatives are offering.

Officials from Alberta and New Brunswick, which was the last province to agree to the deal, have said they accept Harper's plan.

The Conservative minority government said it will stop the child care payments to the provinces after one year, but will have to pass a new law to do so. However, it is unlikely the other parties will vote with them on the issue.