Debates of February 14, 2005 (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask questions in furtherance today on day care programs, Mr. Speaker, and my questions go to Minister Dent. Mr. Speaker, we’re all aware of the weekend meetings that were held with his provincial counterparts and other territorial Ministers responsible for day care, including the federal Minister Dryden. Could the Minister update us as to what transpired at that meeting and what seem to be the points of agreement that they still have to reach? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Charles Dent.

Return To Question 373-15(3): Meetings With Ministers Responsible For Day Care

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was a good deal of progress made at the meetings on Friday. My provincial and territorial colleagues and the federal Minister went quite a ways towards finalizing what we think will be the wording in a draft agreement. What remains as the biggest stumbling block right now is the money, and without knowing what sort of commitment we’re going to see in the federal budget, there was unwillingness for Ministers around the table to move the process any further. So really the stumbling block right now is money and its allocation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 373-15(3): Meetings With Ministers Responsible For Day Care

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can appreciate that the money might be a factor in something like this, but putting that aside I would like to get a more clear picture from the Minister as to what the GNWT’s position is as to what this National Childcare Program should look like. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 373-15(3): Meetings With Ministers Responsible For Day Care

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT, like most jurisdictions, is willing to accept the accountability provisions as long as there is adequate money. The problem we face right now is if the money flows to us through the CST and comes only in a per capita basis, the costs to report on what we are doing would take up an awful lot of the amount of money that we would get. As Members of this House know, if we get funding flowed to us on a solely per capita basis, we will not get enough money to make a significant difference in the childcare field. So our position is that there has to be base funding plus a per capita, and we’re asking for base funding of .51 percent, which would amount to about $5 million. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 373-15(3): Meetings With Ministers Responsible For Day Care

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I would like to know if the Minister was to get the money that he’s looking for or somewhere near to that, what is the plan of this government in terms of putting in its own money? Is there any plan for the government to put in its own money? I’ll leave it at that for this question. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 373-15(3): Meetings With Ministers Responsible For Day Care

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government already puts millions of dollars into early childhood programs and we will continue to invest in early childhood. Whether or not we would increase our funding is something we would have to take a look at. Without knowing what the amount of money is that we’re looking at, it’s difficult to advance any plans. We are quite ready to move forward and we had hoped that we would get some signals from the federal government on Friday that would help us advance our plans so that we would be prepared to move things forward. The federal Minister has indicated that in all likelihood the money will ramp up. In other words, we won’t start to see the money flow in equal amounts each year; it will be a gradual increase, which means that we will have some time to develop the plans to take advantage of the money as it starts to flow.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Your final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 373-15(3): Meetings With Ministers Responsible For Day Care

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are so many questions to this and the details to work out and the debates to have, perhaps the Minister could make a statement in the House about where the government’s position is. But in the interim, could I get the information from the Minister as to whether we’re looking at a nationally run child day care program, or are we looking at tax benefits or are we looking at 50/50 funding? Putting aside the dollar commitments that the federal government is willing to give, because we do hear numbers flowing around, what is this government’s position as to what this childcare program will look like that will best benefit the people of the NWT? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 373-15(3): Meetings With Ministers Responsible For Day Care

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, childcare is an area of exclusive provincial and territorial responsibility. We’re not talking about a national system, we’re not talking about something that would be the same in all jurisdictions. For instance, Quebec already has a system that is the envy of everybody else in Canada and they’re putting billions of dollars into that. Our system is starting from a different point, as is every other system in Canada. So what we’re talking about is a program where the federal government would assist the provinces and territories to improve on the systems that we currently have. We’ve agreed on the vision as a national priority and what each of our systems should look like. Ours will continue to be an individual system and we will build on the strengths of the system that we have in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.