The Liberal government is on the defensive after tabling a bill that will penalize daycares and parents for if children don't attend daycare five days per week.
If the bill passes, parents who sign up for daily daycare, but keep their children at home some days, would be fined $60 for each day missed.
Daycares could be fined up to $1,000 for providing false information about a particular child's attendance.
Family Minister Francine Charbonneau said the demand for this bill comes from parents upset about being asked to pay for days their children do not attend.
""Parents are telling us we feel ... like we're hostage because if we denounce we will lose the place we have, so we have to pay five days," said Charbonneau. "But every time they pay five days, all Quebec pays five days so every time somebody goes over their responsibility it's Quebec that pays for it."
Critics say the true problem is demand for a place in subsidized daycare is so high in Quebec that daycares are not willing to offer parents part-time care, even if they are on parental leave with a second child.
The government estimates about 18% of daycare subsidies currently go to pay for daycare spots that are not used five days a week.
On Friday, Charbonneau said her bill would be revised in some fashion so as not to be so harsh, but would not promise to eliminate the fines entirely.
