NLIS 6
November 20, 2001
(Health and Community Services)

 

The following statement was issued today by Julie Bettney, Minister of Health and Community Services. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

National Child Day

I rise in this House today to recognize National Child Day.

Prior to the opening of the House this afternoon, I was pleased to participate with children and their parents, educators and care providers in the celebration of National Child Day.

A day such as this demands that we take a moment away from our busy personal and professional lives to celebrate the importance of children and think of their value and rights as individuals.

The adoption of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child was a momentous event in our country's history and one which has had an impact on those who work with children.

As part of the celebrations which were held earlier, the organizers took the opportunity to highlight the variety of programs which have been designed to meet the needs of children and their families within their communities. It is rewarding to realize that these programs assist in ensuring the rights of children.

As a government, we have been pleased to be able to provide significant support to children's programs over the past several years. The National Child Benefit Investment/Reinvestment Programs announced in 1998 have resulted in $18 million being available annually to support children's programs. These programs include family resource centres, increased child care subsidies, supported infant care centres at three of our high schools across the province, strengthened child care services, and support for community youth networks.

Our most recent announcement regarding the Early Childhood Development Initiatives, Stepping into the Future, will see an additional $36.6 million being invested in children's programs over the next 5 years.

These programs include family resource centres, child care services, establishing early literacy and transition to school programs, early intervention services including autism, and income support initiatives. In the very near future, I will be providing further details on how we will invest $5.2 million through this initiative this year.

These programs are significant, yet are not able to provide all that children and families need. This can only be accomplished through effective partnerships with the community and we look forward to continuing the existing partnerships and establishing others.

This government realizes the importance of having effective and appropriate programs and services available to our children. That is why we are proceeding in this fall sitting of the legislature with a Bill to establish the Office of the Child Advocate. And I am pleased that this office will further ensure the rights and interests of children and youth are protected.

The programs which are supported by this government foster the vision of the Strategic Social Plan. The Strategic Social Plan recognizes that one of the best ways to improve the long-term outcomes for people is to focus on prevention and early intervention, strengthening programs for the very young and reaching out early.

While we celebrate children today, I would also like to acknowledge their parents, educators, and care providers. On a daily basis, these are the people who have the greatest influence on the social, physical and intellectual development of our children.

Finally, in recognition of this day, I am presenting my honourable colleagues with a blue ribbon and ask them to wear it in celebration of the children of this province.

Thank you.

2001 11 20                           2:30 p.m.


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