It's not the government's job...

wheelenl

To pay for our childcare or our maternity leave. The government did not force us to have children. Further, you and I shouldn't have to pay for it indirectly, either, through our taxes.

If, as posters have explained to me before, the Canada system is that you pay into a plan that you can then withdraw when you have kids, that is essentially like forcing you to save for your maternity leave (please explain if I'm wrong, that's essentially how it's been explained to me before).

Sorry but the other post has me worked up.

mauceddie

wheelenl:

To pay for our childcare or our maternity leave. The government did not force us to have children. Further, you and I shouldn't have to pay for it indirectly, either, through our taxes.

If, as posters have explained to me before, the Canada system is that you pay into a plan that you can then withdraw when you have kids, that is essentially like forcing you to save for your maternity leave (please explain if I'm wrong, that's essentially how it's been explained to me before).

Sorry but the other post has me worked up.

Re Canada: You get unemployment insurance while you're on mat leave. So, yes you pay into it, but there's no specific mat leave tax or fund or anything- same pot as all umployment comes out of.

We also get $100/month towards childcare per child. I can only assume that it's to encourage all parents to work.

ETA: to make more clear & fix my $ amount.

RoxyLynn

I 99% agree with you.

I don't have a problem with gov't doing short-term childcare assistance for women receiving TANF.  For someone to get on their feet/out of poverty, a job is vital and childcare has to be part of that.

mrstarawalsh

I'd much rather the government pay for someone's child care than for them to sit on their a$$ all day and collect food stamps and a welfare check.

mrstarawalsh

mauceddie:

You get unemployment insurance while you're on mat leave in canada. So, yes you pay into it, but there's no specific mat leave tax or anything- same pot as all umployment comes out of.

We also get $200/month towards childcare per child. I can only assume that it's to encourage all parents to work.

 

In California you get 3 months disablity pay for maternity leave. I think it's a nice "perk" considering many people pay into disability but never have to use it for anything else. I do believe also there's a federal tax credit for child care as well. IDK how much as we don't use it, but it's there.

Aliliv

mauceddie:

wheelenl:

To pay for our childcare or our maternity leave. The government did not force us to have children. Further, you and I shouldn't have to pay for it indirectly, either, through our taxes.

If, as posters have explained to me before, the Canada system is that you pay into a plan that you can then withdraw when you have kids, that is essentially like forcing you to save for your maternity leave (please explain if I'm wrong, that's essentially how it's been explained to me before).

Sorry but the other post has me worked up.

Re Canada: You get unemployment insurance while you're on mat leave. So, yes you pay into it, but there's no specific mat leave tax or fund or anything- same pot as all umployment comes out of.

We also get $100/month towards childcare per child. I can only assume that it's to encourage all parents to work.

ETA: to make more clear & fix my $ amount.

Just to ad: EI offers financial assistance when you?re unemployed and looking for work, and for Canadians who are sick, pregnant, caring for a newborn or adopted child, or caring for a relative who is critically ill.

Also, Employers must pay into it as well.  The cost is actually minimal.  For example:

Maximum Annual Insurable Earnings - $42,300.00 Premium/Contribution Rate (employee) - 1.73% Annual Maximum Premium (employee) EI - $731.79

Edit:  This changed:  Here is the updated info. for this year:

As of January 1^st, 2010 you must pay EI premiums on all your earnings up to the annual maximum salary of $43,200. The EI premium rate is set to $1.73 for every $100 of salary until $43,200 has been reached. The maximum contribution amount will be $747.36.

It's for the better of our society.  Not to say it would work well in the states.

Edit:  Sorry!  But when I mentioned that employers pay into it as well - it is to say that they match it.

Aliliv

Also, to add (just because there seems to be posts on Canada's benefits, but there seems to be misconceptions about it).  Like all social programs, you need to meet requirements to obtain benefits:   To collect any amount of EI you need to have worked at least 600 hours in the last 52 weeks.   And, you recieve something like 55% of your income.

Rachel2315

There are a lot of things that people think the government should/should not be responsible for in people's personal opinions.  

But the bottom line, is that the majority of us don't get to choose how our taxes are spent.  I'd much rather have my taxes go to something like more maternity leave (or heck, paternity leave too, I don't care which one stays home) than to spend almost $500k on Richard Nixon's library expenses.

In the previous post, an argument was presented that childless people would end up paying taxes to benefit those who had children.  Guess what - they already do.  Its called the public education system.  There are a TON of arguments about what the government should or shouldn't pay for - but like I said, the bottom line for me is that I'd rather pay taxes that give families more and longer leave after having children than for many other things my taxes go to.  Its all personal opinion.  

mauceddie

Aliliv:

Also, to add (just because there seems to be posts on Canada's benefits, but there seems to be misconceptions about it).  Like all social programs, you need to meet requirements to obtain benefits:   To collect any amount of EI you need to have worked at least 600 hours in the last 52 weeks.   And, you recieve something like 55% of your income.

Yes, 55% but maxes out at $413 every 2 weeks.  

wheelenl

mauceddie:

Aliliv:

Also, to add (just because there seems to be posts on Canada's benefits, but there seems to be misconceptions about it).  Like all social programs, you need to meet requirements to obtain benefits:   To collect any amount of EI you need to have worked at least 600 hours in the last 52 weeks.   And, you recieve something like 55% of your income.

Yes, 55% but maxes out at $413 every 2 weeks.  

What does El stand for? Just curious.

wheelenl

mauceddie:

Aliliv:

Also, to add (just because there seems to be posts on Canada's benefits, but there seems to be misconceptions about it).  Like all social programs, you need to meet requirements to obtain benefits:   To collect any amount of EI you need to have worked at least 600 hours in the last 52 weeks.   And, you recieve something like 55% of your income.

Yes, 55% but maxes out at $413 every 2 weeks.  

What does El stand for? Just curious.

Aliliv

Employment Insurance.   It is what our maternity leave and other benefits pertaining to employment are paid out of.

haleymay18

Hey, how is the weather up there on your high horse?