Debates of October 25, 2006 (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the first day of session, which was October 17th, I was asking the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment questions about the literacy cuts and what he was doing about it. Mr. Speaker, if I may roughly quote from page 627 of our unedited Hansard, the Minister said he would be hopefully attending this meeting next Tuesday, which would have been yesterday, on the 24th of this month. His meeting was supposed to be with the Council of Ministers of Education. Mr. Speaker, did anyone go on the Minister’s behalf? If they did, what did they say and what are they promoting? Can the Minister give us those details? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 190-15(5): Literacy Program Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, the Honourable Diane Finley notified the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada that she was unwilling to meet with a group of Ministers and asked if one Minister would be delegated to speak on all of our behalves. I transmitted my approval for that position to the chair of the CMEC. However, the majority of Ministers from across Canada did not support that; therefore, the meeting did not take place.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 190-15(5): Literacy Program Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While I am not glad to hear that the meeting was cancelled, I am glad to hear that the Minister was doing something in the sense of making sure it could go forward. Mr. Speaker, I asked the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if, assuming that nothing has changed as far as the cuts are concerned, what is the Minister now doing in regards to the literacy cuts so we can get a handle of this situation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 190-15(5): Literacy Program Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members of this House are aware, as I said earlier, I have written to Minister Finley to protest the cuts. The Premier has written to the Prime Minister to talk about the cuts, particularly the literacy and Status of Women cuts. I have another trip planned to Ottawa later this fall. I have my office working to see if I can add to that trip a meeting with Minister Finley to discuss this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 190-15(5): Literacy Program Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the Education Minister working with the coalition, with the other Education Ministers in this regard to basically knock down the door of Ms. Finley’s and saying what are we going to do to get attention of this issue? Mr. Speaker, what is this Minister doing, for the record to, again, bring highlights to this issue? Is he going to arrange not in a letter, but a full force down there in Ottawa to finally get attention to these literacy cuts? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 190-15(5): Literacy Program Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Ministers of Education for Canada are continuing to work together to see if we can find some way to raise the profile of this issue. Yes, it is my intention to continue to seek a face-to-face meeting with Minister Finley to press the case. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 190-15(5): Literacy Program Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can I expect that the Education, Culture and Employment Minister would maybe take steps so far as to work with other Ministers across the country? These cuts affect everywhere in Canada. Maybe he could speak to the other Ministers in the other provinces and territories about passing motions in every Legislature across Canada to get the attention of this government. Would this Minister agree to do something like that, again to get the attention of the federal government that every Legislature, every group of people, are concerned about these cuts? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 190-15(5): Literacy Program Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have told this House, I am already doing that. I am already working with other Ministers, and not just with Education Ministers. At the last FPT that I attended, all of the Ministers there took occasion with the Minister who was present to express our concern about the cuts to the literacy file in hopes that it would be passed on to Minister Finley. We are working, not just as Ministers of Education, but generally, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers across Canada are working with our Premiers to make sure that the federal government is aware that we are very concerned with these cuts. We are expecting that we will see some reinvestment in the area of literacy in particular. Thank you.