Canada’s employment minister touts child care benefit in Halifax

Employment Minister Pierre Poilievre (Facebook photo)

HALIFAX — Canada’s employment minister was in Halifax today touting what has been billed as the largest, one-time benefit payment in federal history.

Pierre Poilievre says nearly billion in child care benefit payments are being mailed today to families that have signed up to receive it.

Poilievre says the increased benefit payment, backdated to the start of the year, is a result of the Harper government’s balanced budget.

A news release from the Liberal party says the payments are unfair to the middle class and benefit the people who need it the least.

An analysis by The Canadian Press based on the last census shows the benefit is most likely to go to voters living in federal ridings in which the Conservatives are favoured to win in this fall’s election.

It says that many of the ridings in line to get the biggest cheques are in suburban Alberta and the all-important ridings that surround Toronto.