NLIS 1
May 13, 2005
(Health and Community Services)
Moving Forward: Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and
Labrador
sign Agreement on Early Learning and Child Care
Prime Minister Paul Martin and Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams,
along with Social Development Minister Ken Dryden and Newfoundland and
Labrador�s acting Minister of Health and Community Services Loyola Sullivan
announced today an historic agreement-in-principle that further supports the
development of quality early learning and child care (ELCC) for young children
and their families in Newfoundland and Labrador.
"The best way to make sure our youngest citizens can develop and flourish to
their full potential is by investing in quality early learning and child care.
This agreement-in-principle between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador moves
our country significantly closer to fulfilling a shared vision for early
learning and child care," said Prime Minister Paul Martin. "Decades ago, it was
a series of such agreements that led to the creation of Medicare in Canada - a
program that now helps to define us as Canadians."
This announcement follows the Government of Canada�s February 2005 budget
commitment to invest $5 billion over five years to enhance and expand
high-quality developmental early learning and child care in collaboration with
provinces and territories.
As announced in previous federal-provincial-territorial meetings on ELCC, this
initiative will be guided by the QUAD principles: quality, universal
inclusiveness, accessibility, and development.
"Making sure that our youngest citizens get the best start in life is one of the
most important priorities for parents and families in our province," said
Premier Williams. "This agreement signed today will help Newfoundland and
Labrador achieve its long-term vision to ensure children and families have
access to a quality early learning and child care system and that early child
care educators and providers receive the training and supports they need."
"We are working to develop an ambitious, high-quality, developmental-based
system of early learning and child care in every province and territory in this
country," said Minister Dryden. "We have already signed agreements-in-principle
with three other provinces, and over the coming weeks, I hope that we will
conclude more agreements with other provincial and territorial governments. This
agreement-in-principle expands the continuum of supports for children, families
and communities in Newfoundland and Labrador."
Over the next five years, with this federal support, Newfoundland and Labrador
will continue to develop its early learning and child care system. Emphasis will
be placed on increasing options for children and families by creating early
learning and child care services that focus on quality, affordability and
accessibility.
Newfoundland and Labrador will meet these goals by making investments in
regulated early learning and child care programs and services for children under
age six.
"Our government has made significant progress in building capacity, ensuring
children and families have access to quality programming and improving the
quality of early learning and child care in Newfoundland and Labrador," said
Minister Sullivan. " We are committed to building a progressive early learning
and child care program to complement the work of our Ministerial Council on
Early Childhood Learning that focuses on the learning needs of children and
their families. As we move forward, we will continue to consult with parents and
early learning and childcare stakeholders to assist in developing the action
plan for Newfoundland and Labrador."
Newfoundland and Labrador will release a preliminary action plan on early
learning and child care by December 2005. Following completion of the action
plan, Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will work together to conclude a
detailed multi-year funding agreement by February 2006.
The agreement-in-principle sets out a long-term vision, principles, and goals to
guide the development of regulated early learning and child care for children
under six. It also outlines specific objectives that the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador will pursue over the next five years and how that
government will be accountable to residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. Also,
the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will work with other
provinces and territories to develop knowledge and information that will
contribute to more effective early learning and child care programming. As part
of this agreement-in-principle, the Government of Canada will work with
Newfoundland and Labrador and other interested provincial and territorial
governments to develop a National Quality Framework that will guide the
development of early learning and child care programming across Canada.
Newfoundland and Labrador will continue to report publicly on early learning and
child care, so that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can track progress.
The Government of Canada recently signed similar Early Learning and Child Care
Agreements-in-Principle with Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario
and expects to put similar agreements in place with the remaining provinces and
territories over the coming weeks.
Media contact:
Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3960, 690-5500,
elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca
Carolyn Chaplin, Health and Community Services, (709) 729-1377, 682-5093
2005 05 13 10:00 a.m.
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