What Canadian parents want for Christmas

What would YOU like this holiday season? Tell us in our forums.

Education
What we have
There's good news ringing out from the ivory towers: More Canadians are getting an education, and we rank high when it comes to federal moneys forked over for college and university education. Canada spends 2.5 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on postsecondary schooling; the average country in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) spends 1.8 per cent of its GDP.

The downside is that the cost of a degree is soaring faster than the thermometer on the eve of your much-anticipated snowman-building contest. Tuition fees in Canada rose 125 per cent between 1990 and 2000, and the average student debt load as of 2001 was about $25,000 -- up from $8,690 in 1991. (Note to self: Ask Grandma and Grandpa to chip in on Junior's RESP fund in lieu of a gift this year.)

What we'd like
It's not all about hedonism and listening to Björk on your new iPod (thanks, Santa!) in Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands. These countries score top marks for their low tuition fees and generous grants -- and the high rate of students who take advantage of these perks. Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Spain and Cuba all offer free tuition. While sunny Australia used to have free tuition -- back in the days of Olivia Newton-John -- this came to an end in 1996 when the government made massive cuts to its education budget. By the way, Canada and Japan are the only OECD member countries without a needs-based grant program for students.

Vacation
What we have
We may like to gripe about how overworked we are, especially around the busy holiday season, but it seems we are still enslaved by the good old Protestant work ethic. The average Canadian is given three full weeks of vacation time a year, yet many harried workers don't even take the full amount, shortchanging themselves by three days. (Note to self: Toss that pesky BlackBerry and put the travel agent on speed dial.) It may come as a surprise, but humble Saskatchewan leads the way in mandated time off. This province guarantees its residents three weeks off after only one year on the job.

What we'd like
The heady rumours about western Europe's generous vacations are all true. The average French mama or papa languishes 39 days a year out of the office. Employees in France, Italy and Switzerland enjoy an average of five weeks minimum of paid vacation time. And to add to their extended break, the giddy Dutch get to leave on a family holiday with an eight per cent vacation bonus tucked in their purses -– so they can really paint the town red. What's more, all of the above-mentioned holiday time is government mandated.

Family and compassion leave
What we have
When it comes to caring for a sick child or parent, we are entitled to take up to six weeks off work to care for the individual. The leave is paid for at the going EI rate (55 per cent of your salary, up to a maximum of $413 a week). In order to qualify for this support, though, you have to have logged 600 insured work hours in the last 52 weeks. Some good news: The definition of family member was recently expanded to include extended family. Check out this Government of Canada web page to see who in your extended family is included.

What we'd like
Once again, Scandinavian countries take the cake. The payments vary from 70 per cent to 90 per cent of your income, depending on which country you live in. Norway funds a compassionate leave for up to 260 days for employees whose children have longer-term illnesses. Sweden offers the most generous leave payments with up to 60 days leave at 90 per cent of your take-home pay. In western Europe, Italy allows for the most time off, but it's often unpaid.

Read about the best gifts from your kitchen.

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