In short, we do not support parents in either their paid work role or in their unpaid family role. We have been paralyzed by our own conflicting values about whether women should stay home with their children or go out to work. And it is the women and children who pay the price of our mixed feelings in overwork, a severe time crunch, stress on their health, and insufficient investment in healthy child development. This profile of the health of Canada s children provides a comprehensive portrait of the situation as it stood at the end of the 20th century. We have much to be proud of.
Most parents are heroes in the way they balance work, family and community responsibilities.
But not all our children are reaching their potential, and too many show signs of distress, whether from inadequate income, ineffective parenting or unsupportive communities. The 1999 federal Speech from the Throne and the work of federal and provincial governments on the National Child Benefit and National Children s Agenda are a sign that Canadian governments are prepared to pay more attention to the needs of Canadian children. Clearly the list is long and expensive. Note that these gaps cannot be filled by government alone. Employers and community organizations also have a significant role in this enterprise.