Ontario’s debt, Canada’s woes - The Globe and Mail

Ontario’s debt, Canada’s woes - The Globe and Mail:

"While many Ontarians are concerned about the state of the province’s finances, discussing the affordability of a pricey program like full-day kindergarten is politically taboo. As the mother of a four-year-old who just started kindergarten, I understand the appeal of “free” care. But Ontario is like the divorcee who can’t stop maxing out his credit card at Holt’s even though his alimony payments would suggest a trip to Sears.

Despite being in the worst fiscal straits of all the provinces, Ontario is embarking on the most ambitious early-learning program in the country, introducing not one but two years of full-day kindergarten for four- and five-year-olds. It also went for the gold-plated plan – using teachers instead of early childhood educators for half the day as originally envisioned. Additional cost: $500-million a year."

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