Yeah, about those 125,000 child care spaces? Well, heh heh, funny story ...

Whoopsie. Via Buckdog, we learn the thoroughly unsurprising news:

Tories hint that promise of 125,000 new child-care spots may not be realistic

OTTAWA - A much-touted promise by the federal Conservatives to create 125,000 new child-care spaces may not be doable, suggests Social Development Minister Monte Solberg.

The Conservatives have been slammed by critics who say the government's approach won't create nearly that many spaces over five years.

"We have to be realistic," Solberg said Wednesday when asked if an election vow made 18 months ago can be kept.

Hey, I know ... let's hop into the wayback machine and see how many of those smugly sanctimonious Blogging Tories were ever so confident about this former promise, shall we?

Toronto Tory:

Conservatives Will Create 125,000 New Child Care Spaces

The Conservative party announced today that they will create 125,000 new child care spaces. This, in addition to the $100 per child/per month choice in child care allowance.

For the record, 125,000 child care spaces is higher than the number of spaces that would be created under the "plan" that the Liberals have repeatedly promised since 1993.

The Conservatives party of Canada - standing up for children, standing up for families.

Noise From the Right:

Under the Community Childcare Investment Program, employers who create new childcare spaces for their employees, or for the wider community in collaboration with not-for-profit organizations, will be eligible to receive a credit of $10,000 per space. This program will create 25,000 new spaces per year, or 125,000 over the next five years.

Choice for Child Care:

In addition to the $1,200 allowance, which would be taxable, Harper has said he would provide $250 million in tax credits to help community groups and businesses create 125,000 child-care spaces over five years.

Stephen Taylor:

The question fails to mention that the Conservative plan also includes the following:

* a commitment to provide incentives to create 25,000 flexible child care spaces per year through the Child Care Spaces Initiative, beginning in 2007.

Trinity-Spadina:

The Conservative Party of Canada would create 125,000 new childcare spaces, while also giving direct transfers to all parents of $1,200 per child per year for childcare to use in a way that is best for their family’s childcare needs.

Canadianna's Place:

The best example of this is the Liberals' 'sure thing' -- the universal child care 'plan'. Where Harper recently detailed the Conservative plan to create 125,000 spaces, and the same information can be found on the Conservative web pages, tonight Martin will boast that the Liberals will create 250,000 daycare spaces.

Kerplonka:

In other words, beyond the fact that it's technically premature to criticize Harper, this wasn't a promise, per se. The promise was 125,000 spaces over 5 years, not 25,000 per year. Theoretically, Harper could put it all in by 2011 and still be in the clear.

Responsible Government League:

Under the Community Childcare Investment Program, employers who create new childcare spaces for their employees, or for the wider community in collaboration with not-for-profit organizations, will be eligible to receive a credit of $10,000 per space. This program will create 25,000 new spaces per year, or 125,000 over the next five years.

At which point, I believe I have the right to ask once again: What's it like being wrong about absolutely everything?

I'm just curious.