Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hockey teams, dance classes and even fiddle camps are a few examples of out-of-school programs and activities that are fun for kids, but not for all kids. You need to find a way to encourage the development of these qualities that people learn from physical education, and the type of self-esteem they get by being involved in these particular programs.
It’s a real shame that many children in the NWT are left out of these very precious opportunities. These experiences are left out. Why? Because many parents cannot afford the equipment or even the fees. If you are on income support, I can tell you right now, it doesn’t make it any easier. To be fair, income support does provide some money for some school-related things like bus passes – how fun is that? – or even gym shoes so they can play, but there are no allowances for outside activities, as I said earlier.
In this day and age, when schools are chopping away their budgets and Education Ministers continue to claw back money from what is the fun stuff, such as physical education, enrichment programs such as arts and music, these programs fall by the side. Isn’t the development of our young minds an occasion to develop these special things as well?
There is a real opportunity being missed. Surely government can find some way to help afford these things. We could provide some allowances for children to be involved in these very important programs. Don’t let financial burdens of poverty slip through the opportunity of developing and enriching these young minds that so readily deserve these chances.
Could the next Leela Gilday, Brendan Green, or even Shirley Firth somewhere be nestled between opportunity and poverty, with no way to break free for these opportunities that kids deserve? Allowances could be organized so we could pay directly to the organizations.
I know the Minister will complain and whine and grind and grope and moan and talk about the cost of social programs. Yes, he is right, but investment is more than just infrastructure. It is about the investment of the bricks and mortar we call our children that we are building for tomorrow. We must do all we can to help build these bricks and mortar enrich the lives of our young people. We must find ways to show them that we care. Do not put up barriers. We will find new ways to open doors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
