Bob Bromley

I certainly agree that these are two very important processes and will result in important documents. My concern is the schedules do not permit the integration that’s needed. Again, I didn’t hear the Minister mention daycares, day homes, child care centres, Healthy Families program coordinators, family literacy experts. Will the Minister commit to involving all of these early childhood providers and stakeholders before making any decisions under the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initative related to early childhood development for children aged zero to six?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are in follow-up to my Member’s statement earlier and directed to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I stated in my Member’s statement I have questions regarding the Minister’s vision for promoting Aboriginal student achievement through a seamless transition from early childhood development programs. I’m particularly distressed in question period to hear him state to my colleague Mr. Jacobson that the department is finalizing the package on Aboriginal student achievement. This is well before we had the insights of early childhood...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Bill 8 and would like to report that Bill 8 is ready for third reading. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A critical missing connection must be made between the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative and the planned review and renewal of the Early Childhood Development Framework. The Education Minister informs me that a draft discussion paper on the ECD Framework is planned for June, with working group meetings in September. Stakeholder consultations will begin in January 2012, with the final product for the 17th Legislative Assembly. Meanwhile, the Minister’s Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative is well underway, with a product likely in this Assembly.

This puts the...

Does committee agree to the bill as a whole?

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. We have before us, committee, Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Local Authorities Elections Act. Open for general comments. Any general comments? Detail? Is committee agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. I would like to ask the Minister now if he would like to bring in witnesses.

Thank you. Go ahead.

I don’t have any further questions. Thanks to the Minister for that commitment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks for the comments from the Minister. I’m happy he appreciates what I’m trying to bring forward here and will try to address it. I still haven’t heard him address the scheduling difficulties, because there are two different tracks here. Decisions apparently will be made on Aboriginal student achievement earlier.

Will the Minister commit to reviewing this situation and briefing the Standing Committee on Social Programs at the earliest opportunity on how the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative and early childhood development reviews will be integrated before any...