About the Child Care and Early Learning Task Force
Childcare and early childhood education were some of the first public interest issues addressed by Public Interest Alberta. In the spring of 2005, Public Interest Alberta and its members mounted a successful advocacy effort to get the provincial government to sign on to a National Childcare deal with the federal government. Although the Harper government went on to dismantle those agreements, PIA used its large network to pressure the Alberta Minister of Children's Services to publicly defend national childcare, and the Task Force's work continues.
Every year, the Childcare Task Force develops advocacy strategies to address the most pressing issues affecting Alberta's families. Past areas of attention include:
- Corporate Childcare - Preventing a takeover by "big box" childcare in Alberta
- Quality & Access - Quality, affordable care for all Alberta's families
- Childcare and the Alberta Budget
Childcare Task Force Members
- Donna Staszenski, Task Force Chair
- Jennifer Burgess, Braeside Community Association
- Susan Cake, Independent
- Gail Campbell, Independent
- Gloria Chalmers, Edmonton Council on Early Learning and Care
- Ella Henry, Canadian Union of Public Employees
- Angela Hill, Imagine Institute for Learning
- Nevena Ivanovic, Child Care Now Alberta
- Michelle James, Women's Centre of Calgary
- Noah Kenneally, Human Services & Early Learning
- Cori Longo, Canadian Labour Congress
- Rhoda Mitchell, Women's Centre of Calgary
- Cynthia Prasow, Werklund School of Education
- Carol Sullivan, Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta
- Kristy Thomas, McKernan Child Development Centre
- Leah Tolman, City West Childcare and Community Support Society
- Judy White, Thornhill Child Care Society
- Korrie-Mae Wiszniak, Churchill Park Family Care Society
