Ignatieff unequivocally declared on Monday that if he becomes prime minister, there will be no delay in delivering a national program – and lack of money won’t be an excuse. “This is the number one social priority of an incoming Liberal government,” Ignatieff said during a break in an all-day discussion on poverty and homelessness in Canada.

Ignatiff did not offer specifics on dollar figures or how many daycare spaces he believes that the plan he has in mind would create, but I like the fact he’s clearly staked out a specific difference between himself and the Conservatives on this issue. The latest poll from Decima talked about in my prior blogpost shows the Liberals have regained the lead from the Conservatives with women voters, and I’m thinking an ambitious plan like this will help them with this voting demographic. In my opinion, the Conservatives 100$ a month “program” is neither a national daycare program, nor does it do much in aiding families to pay for childcare costs, and it is vulnerable to a well thought out national plan that covers all. We will need to see what Ignatieff has in mind with the specifics of this plan – I would like it to be more of a “national” program then what the Paul Martin Liberal administration offered – but details are sure to come.

Of course, as the Star article mentions, Ignatieff may be fighting past Liberal records of promising a national daycare program, and then putting it off due to money concerns, but this statement from Ignatieff seems pretty unequivocal that a program will be implemented regardless of the deficit at the time.

As an aside, kudos from this corner to Ignatieff and the Liberals on taking advantage of “Conservative prorogation month” as a way to offer some alternative policy to the Conservatives on policy, knowing the spotlight would be primarily on them in Ottawa with the government off on its Olympics holiday/recalibration tour. I hope they keep it up.