Education and Early Childhood Development
November 20, 2017

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Dale Kirby, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development:

Provincial Government Celebrates National Child Day

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this Honourable House to recognize November 20 as National Child Day, a celebration of children’s rights.

The members of this House of Assembly are wearing blue ribbons today to recognize National Child Day, which commemorates Canada’s adoption of two documents focused on children's rights: the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

National Child Day demonstrates our commitment to ensuring all children are treated with dignity and respect. This commitment includes the opportunity for children to have a voice, to be protected from harm, to be provided with their basic needs, and to have every opportunity to reach their full potential.

Mr. Speaker, this morning I had the opportunity to celebrate National Child Day with children and childhood educators at Family and Child Care Connections. The centre is a community-based, non-profit early learning family resource that provides a variety of programs, services and supports to parents, family home child care providers and others.

Our government is committed to enhancing access to exceptional and affordable early learning and child-care opportunities during these important early years of development.

Mr. Speaker, I ask parents, early childhood educators, teachers and other community members to remain ever mindful of the commitments that are celebrated on National Child Day. Working together, we can ensure the rights of children are respected, that each child has access to the endless opportunities around them, and that children are recognized as important members of our community.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

2017 11 20                              1:50 p.m.