Councillors Paul Minhas and Daniel Fontaine are pleased to announce that childcare advocates Sharon Gregson and Adrienne Montani have both agreed to be panelists at their upcoming April 11th townhall forum.
Sharon Gregson is the provincial spokesperson for the successful $10aDay Child Care campaign working with the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC. She was twice elected as a Trustee to the Vancouver Board of Education. She represents British Columbia on the Board of the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada (Child Care Now), and previously on the Child Care Human Resource Sector Council and Canadian Child Care Federation.
Adrienne Montani has lived, worked and been a social justice activist in Vancouver since 1976. She joined First Call in 2000 and became the provincial coordinator in 2005. Prior to working with First Call, she served as the child and youth advocate for the City of Vancouver, and as the chairperson of the Vancouver School Board for three of her six years as an elected school trustee. Some of her earlier leadership positions included serving as the executive director of Surrey Delta Immigrant Services Society and of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland.
“We’re thrilled that both Sharon and Adrienne have agreed to participate in this important community discussion,” says Councillor Daniel Fontaine. “There are so many challenges facing parents who are in need of daycare in our city and this townhall will offer an important opportunity to hear directly from them and the advocates who have been working for years to help improve the system.”
“I’m looking forward to hearing from our panelists and the community about what more the City and our School Board can do to help support parents in need of childcare,” says Councillor Paul Minhas. “This forum is open to everyone including all members of Council and the School Board and I’m certainly hoping they all show up.”
School Trustees Danielle Connelly and Kathleen Carlsen have agreed to attend and we will advise the public if other elected officials RSVP. To secure a spot at the townhall forum, you can register via Eventbrite by clicking on the link below. Additional panelists will be announced soon. Hope to see you there!
