Praise the Lord for childcare choice: MAW

Dear Linda,

Thank-you very much for responding to my memorandum to Premier Lord respecting childcare choice for parents.

As you know parents from coast to coast will be holding photo-ops in their communities to celebrate International Day of the Child and to promote childcare choice for parents and caregivers on November 19th, 2005.

Thanks to your public support of childcare choice for parents and families in your Province, quite a few local legislators will be attending a photo-op at Hamilton City Hall that my less able son and other parents have organized. Parents know what’s best for their kids, a responsibility we all take very seriously. Hopefully you will be able to attend the event in your community to support childcare choice for parents.

So far we have Hamilton Mayor Larry DiIanni and Councilor Dave Mitchell coming to celebrate with Logan, Laurie and I to hear or views on childcare choice.

I have also taken the opportunity to extend an invitation to others who support our cause such as M.P. Gary Goodyear who is the member for Cambridge and M.P. Dean Allison representing Niagara West-Glanbrook, M.P. Tony Valeri, M.P.P. Dr. Marie Bountrogianni and Candidate Don Graves contesting the electoral district of Hamilton Mountain.

Please pass along my personal thanks to Premier Lord for sticking up for parents who want to decide the best childcare choice for their kids.

Respectfully,

Mark-Alan Whittle

-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Landry-Guimond (PO/CPM)
Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 6:08 PM
To: Logan's Pony Club
Subject: RE: Thank-you from the bottom of my heart, and my boys
Importance: High
Sensitivity: Confidential

Dear Mr. Whittle:

On behalf of Premier Lord, I would like to acknowledge receipt of your e-mail.

Your correspondence will be brought to the Premier's attention and shared with the Honourable Joan MacAlpine-Stiles, Acting Minister of Family and Community Services, for her information.

Thank you for taking the time to write and share your views with the Premier.

Sincerely,

Linda Landry-Guimond
Correspondence Manager
Office of the Premier

-----Original Message-----
From: Logan's Pony Club
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2005 9:55 PM
To: Chisholm Pothier (PO/CPM); Premier Bernard Lord (PO/CPM)
Subject: Thank-you from the bottom of my heart, and my boys ~ MAW
Importance: High
Sensitivity: Confidential

N.B. Premier Bernard Lord and P.E.I. Premier Pat Binns

Re: Childcare choice for parents

Dear Mr. Binns and Mr. Lord,

I would like to thank both of you for remembering and publicly supporting the value family members bring to the national childcare debate. I can tell both of you, from first hand experience, that it takes a special kind of care giving to serve a little disabled boy like my son Logan, especially the value primary caregivers like Logan’s Grandma Whittle bring to my sons living and learning experiences.

Although this value may be priceless to Logan - and his mom Laurie and I - it should also be recognized by the government of Canada for the inherent care giving value it has in real life, part of the loving and learning experience the vast majority of Canadian children experience, thanks to family members who pitch in. Citizens who want to instill the value of tolerance and good citizenship at home raising their kids, something that’s not available from Institutional Daycare Models outside a parents control.

I’m especially proud of the fact that both of you have recognized the value stay at home mothers represent within the economy and childcare debate now making headlines around the world.

Most important of all is the notion that funding the child is the most effective way to ensure families and parents have a say in real, workable solutions to their childcare needs of today, including the value relatives and trusted members of the community provide to families when they need nurturing the most, in the early years.

From them, through me, I salute both of you for putting the children and parents child care needs first in your respective Provinces and communities.

Respectfully,
Mark-Alan Whittle
Chief Executive Officer
Logan’s Pony Club (LPC)