Fact check: What was the child care benefit change from Harper to trudeau

1. Summary of the results

1. Summary of the results:

The change from Harper to Trudeau represented a fundamental shift in approach to child benefits. Harper's Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) provided a flat $1,200 annually per child under six, regardless of income. Trudeau replaced this with the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) in 2016, offering up to $6,400 for children under 6 and $5,400 for children 6-17, with amounts varying based on household income.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints:

• The Fraser Institute's analysis revealed a significant redistribution of benefits: families earning under $60,000 saw their share of benefits decrease from 42.9% to 29.7%, while middle-income families ($60,000-$180,000) saw an increase from 49.2% to 66.8%
• The change eliminated several other programs including the Children's Fitness Tax Credit and Children's Arts Tax Credits, which some families had relied upon
• Trudeau's government later introduced a $30 billion national childcare program aiming for $10-per-day childcare, showing a shift from direct payments to service provision
• Studies showed middle-income families, particularly women, reduced their work hours under the new system

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement:

The question's simplicity could lead readers to overlook the complexity of the policy change. While the Trudeau government claims the CCB lifted 450,000 children out of poverty (increasing to 782,000 during COVID-19), conservative think tanks like the Fraser Institute argue the change actually reduced support for the lowest-income families. Both the Liberal Party (promoting the poverty reduction narrative) and Conservative Party (emphasizing universal benefits) have political interests in how this policy change is perceived.