Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I salute the work of last month’s Improving our Children’s Future Conference on early childhood development held here in Yellowknife. Community delegates, educators, program professionals and world-class experts in the science and practice of early childhood development gathered to share and learn. The leadership presence that Ministers Lafferty and Beaulieu emphasized about the increasing importance being placed upon this work. Participants learned of the critical role the child/parent relationship plays in enabling brain development, how self-regulation works and develops, and the conditions for learning, which are developed through this relationship, the effects of toxic stress and how to measure progress in young children.
They heard presentations on healthy families and head start programs, and they discussed the challenges and principles for a multi-sector integrated approach to early childhood in the Northwest Territories, priorities for the renewed Early Childhood Development Framework and action steps for the next 18 months. We all look forward very much to receiving their report from these deliberations.
During budget discussions a year ago, there was $1.3 million in additional funds added for early childhood work, including development of two child and family resource centres, later identified to be in Tulita and Ndilo. Today, 85 percent through the fiscal year, I understand there have been no funds provided to Ndilo, no development of such a centre there and that the community has been told the money would be for one year only. With such lost opportunities, it is the children who suffer.
Given the year end in seven weeks – the year end in seven weeks – I have questions on when the Minister is going to get this family resource centre in place and operational. Science, Early Childhood Development Program results elsewhere, and pure common sense tell us the opportunity to give children the best chance to flourish begins during pregnancy. The benefits of ECD to the economy, individual health and education and through reduced social and justice system, costs are crystal clear. The growing awareness and commitment in government to the importance of this work is great.
As we await the revised Early Childhood Framework, we need to know that when we turn our hand to implementing programs, they will, in fact, be done effectively and well. To date I don’t see this happening. We can’t afford to miss another year of helping new minds and bodies to get their best.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
