Recently, the government of Quebec announced a ban on religious instruction in publicly subsidized daycare centres. Couple quick thoughts:
1. The practical consequence of this decision is that it will be difficult for parents who value religious instruction as part of their toddler’s childcare experience to find arrangements that suit that preference.
2. Heavy-handed government intervention and regulation inevitably squeezes the vibrancy and diversity out of the childcare sector, resulting in an inflexible one-size-fits-all approach. Canada is a diverse, multicultural society and parents disagree about what constitutes a positive childcare experience. Although many parents doubtlessly prefer a secular experience for their toddler, there are others who view religious instruction as among the most important purposes of early childhood education.