Opposition parties in New Brunswick are taking aim at the Gallant Liberals over planned cuts to daycare subsidies, saying the move, and other measures in the new budget discriminate against women.

The provincial government is planning to cut a subsidy it pays to for-profit daycare operators, but says it is directing that money to other areas within the industry.

On Wednesday, the Opposition Tories spoke out against the cuts, which will hurt the bottom line of daycare operators — 97 per cent of whom, according to the PCs, are women.

The Tories also say some operators have been told by government employees that they can circumvent the cut by transferring title to their spouse.

“It's offensive, it's discriminatory and at the end of the day, if there's no savings to be found, why is the government doing this?” said PC MLA Jody Carr.

Some say the move is part of a larger trend within the budget of cuts targeting women.

Green Party Leader David Coon said the Gallant government’s first budget disproportionately impacts women.

“The Premier made a very big deal, early on, about looking at policy from the perspective of what would it mean for women, and clearly that was not applied to the budget making whatsoever,” Coon said.

Early Childhood Education Minister Serge Rousselle defended the measures.

“We are investing more money … that will give the opportunity to have all those women, with pay equity, in the system,” he said.

Jean Robinson, a daycare operator in Lincoln, N.B., worries that, if the cuts go through, her clients won’t be able to take on the additional costs.

“Some of my parents might be at the top of their budget and say ‘Jean, I'm sorry, I have two kids and I can't pay $1,400-plus any more, I'm going to go to the home down the road that is unlicensed, unregulated, because I have no choice,’” Robinson said.

She said she wonders what the premier is thinking.

“Let's cut this, this, this and hopefully these soft, nurturing, calm women will just go back to the kitchen and not make a fuss — and that's not going to happen,” she said.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Andy Campbell