Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a priority of this government that children get the best possible start in life so they can reach their full potential. It is important that we continue investment in early childhood development as this is an investment in the future of our children.
In January of this year, in partnership with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, we hosted a roundtable to identify priorities for a renewed Early Childhood Development Framework. I’m pleased to report that the roundtable was a success.
I know the Members of this House that attended the roundtable would agree that the experts provided us with great insights about integrating new research findings into current practices.
Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that we are on the right track. The experts and the local presenters confirmed that we are funding the right programs. We must continue with existing programs like the Healthy Families Program, which we plan to expand to more communities. This program provides community-level support for families.
We continue our investment of over 3 percent of our budget in prevention programs. We know that by starting prevention programs at a young age will allow our families to grow strong and healthy. Our Mental Health and Addictions Plan, A Shared Path Towards Wellness, will complement our Early Childhood Development Framework.
We continue to support the great work NGOs are providing. NGOs like the NWT Literacy Council and NWT Disability Council and programs like the Aboriginal Head Start will contribute to successful early childhood development.
We all want our children to have the best possible start in life. We must work in partnership with all agencies to ensure that our children are healthy and can grow into responsible, healthy residents.
Minister Lafferty and I look forward to sharing our renewed framework with Members of this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
