Debates of February 18, 2005 (day 39)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment with regard to the national initiative of childcare and early learning. That’s exactly what the intent is, Mr. Speaker. It’s a national program. I assume it will include the small communities that exist in my riding, Mr. Speaker. Our small communities have single, working parents and double-income families who are anxious to see how this national program will be rolled out. Will the Minister, Mr. Speaker, tell this House the plans to roll out this program into the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 423-15(3): National Child Care And Early Learning Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At our meeting last Friday, I spent a considerable amount of time trying to demonstrate to other Ministers around the table some of the problems that we face in the Northwest Territories trying to deliver equitable services in the smaller communities, particularly the higher cost of infrastructure, the higher cost of trained staff and the difficulty of finding a way to do it in very small communities. I used that as justification for why the Northwest Territories and the other territories needed to have base funding as part of this transfer because if we only get funding through this national program on a per capita basis, we won’t be able to make a significant difference. So I made sure that everybody around the table understood that for us to be able to be part of a national system, to demonstrate that we were able to provide some equity across the Northwest Territories, that we need to have base funding plus per capita funding. If we can get that, Mr. Speaker, then, yes, I believe we can make a significant difference in the way early learning and childcare is delivered in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 423-15(3): National Child Care And Early Learning Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s apparent that the Minister is well aware of our needs throughout the North, including the small communities. Does the Minister have a focus group to help him roll out the programs or design the programs for the smaller communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 423-15(3): National Child Care And Early Learning Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point, we haven’t done anything to plan for how this money would be spent because we don’t know if we are talking about less than $1 million or $6 million. That’s the range we are talking about. It could be a very small amount of money or it could be $6 million. If we are successful in getting the larger amount of money, obviously we will have to have some process for setting out the expenditure. If we are only going to be offered a few hundred thousand dollars, we are going to have to question if we will even bother to participate because of the reporting requirements. If we are going to lose all of the money in reporting just how we are spending the little bit we are getting, there is not much point in us trying to say that we are part of a national system.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 423-15(3): National Child Care And Early Learning Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Minister foresee any plans, let’s say for a small community like Jean Marie that has about 50 residents? How does the Minister see this program working in a community like that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 423-15(3): National Child Care And Early Learning Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am hoping we are going to get enough money that we are going to be able to make sure we can make a difference in communities like Jean Marie River. I am confident that the other jurisdictions across Canada will recognize the problems we face in the North in delivering programs equitable with what other Canadians receive. I am confident the federal Minister and provincial Ministers will say Canada doesn’t stop at the 60th parallel and we will see enough money to make a difference, but, until we actually do in the federal budget next week, we haven’t set up a process to determine how we spend what money we get. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 423-15(3): National Child Care And Early Learning Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad the Minister will be advocating for the needs in the smaller communities. I am sure that there is going to be some mention of it in the federal budget. Has the Minister given some thought to what would be a fair distribution of the resources when he brings it home to the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 423-15(3): National Child Care And Early Learning Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We haven’t gotten to that point yet because we aren’t sure, as I said, how much money there’s going to be. When we have that announcement and the provincial, territorial and federal Ministers meet shortly after the budget next week to decide how the money will be apportioned, then we will very quickly move to determine the NWT apportionment. Just as the Northwest Territories is fighting for a portion that is not representative of strictly per capita, we will remember that when we talk about how to spend the money in the Northwest Territories as well.