Oopss: Canada PM criticized for nannies and child care

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Meets with Organisation internationale de la Francophonie Secretary General Michaelle Jean November 29, 2015 Paris, France The two met during the Prime Minister’s bilateral visit to France.

“Like all families of prime ministers, a few staff provide support”.

“In these times, [then Prime Minister] Mr. Harper’s top priority is to give wealthy families like his and mine $2,000”, BBC quoted Trudeau from his campaign days.

The nannies will be paid between $15 and $20 an hour for day shifts, and $11 to $13 for evenings.

Canadians have taken issue with the fact that Trudeau had criticized the former Conservative government because they had proposed a universal childcare benefit – which would mean that even Canada’s wealthiest families would receive a childcare stipend that they didn’t need, reported The Guardian.As a regular MP, Trudeau would have earned about a $167,000 a year and, like all MPs, paid for his own meals, housing, and child care out of that salary.

“It’s not a reflection of their child care choice – every family has a different makeup, every family has to make decisions about their child care – but I think …”

As a result, said interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose, he ought to be footing his own child care bills.

“Given the nature of the prime minister’s responsibilities and his young family, the Trudeaus employ two household employees who, in addition to performing other duties around the house, act as secondary caregivers to the three children”, spokesperson Kate Purchase told the CBC.

Wiseman also said previous prime ministers have used taxpayer money to pay for child care and noted that Ambrose, the Conservative opposition leader, has a chef at her official residence at taxpayers’ expense.

“In terms of security, both women went through security clearances and we’re very open with what the family is doing when they are with the prime minister”, Purchase said when asked about the posts as a potential security risk.

Said Lecointe: “It’s not always easy for the young ones”.

“I don’t think we can compare the situation of the prime minister and everyone’s family”, LeCointee said in an interview with Alan Neal on CBC Radio’s All in a Day. “We have to take that into consideration, too”.

Prime Minister designate Justin Trudeau lifts his son Hadrian as he arrives at Rideau Hall to be sworn in as the 23rd Canadian Prime Minister in Ottawa, Ontario, November 4, 2015.

Mulroney faced controversy after he pledged to personally pay for the nanny, but later reneged on that promise and had the government foot the bill.

Laureen Harper, the wife of the former prime minister, left her career behind to become a stay-at-home mom after her husband was elected.

In modern life, nannies and child-care present a hot-button Rorschach test of socioeconomic and political values – touching as they do on the emotion-charged issues of parenthood, feminism, race, fair compensation and exploitation.