Thank you. It's been a long time. Mr. Speaker, early childhood is the most critical stage in a person's development. It is during these years that the foundations of lifelong competencies and skills are established for children. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment's strategic plan points to the importance of community-based early childhood programs to help children learn and develop.
Some children not only benefit from early childhood programming, they require it. Early intervention is needed to help children with physical and mental conditions or who live in poverty develop to their full potential. Today, I am pleased to announce an initiative that will help communities develop and carry out early intervention projects. Health Canada has established the Brighter Futures program and the community action program for children, which fund projects that focus on issues such as mental health, child development, injury prevention, healthy babies and solvent abuse.
To assist community groups in developing early intervention strategies and to help them access these funds, the NWT Counselling Association has established a position for an early intervention coordinator for a one-year term, starting March 1, 1995. The coordinator is working out of the student support division of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, which is providing office space and administrative support. The funding for this position has been provided by Health Canada under the Brighter Futures initiative.
The early intervention coordinator is helping distribute information on Brighter Futures, the community action program for children and other funding sources. The coordinator is also helping communities in developing early intervention proposals and establishing programs that meet community needs. Since the activities are closely related to health and social services issues, the early intervention coordinator and the staff of the Department of Health and Social Services keep each other up to date on activities.
Mr. Speaker, early childhood programs and early intervention initiatives have a great potential for improving a child's success in schools, in post-secondary training and in the workplace. I am pleased that the NWT Counselling Association and the department are partners in establishing the early intervention coordinator position and helping NWT communities in establishing these important projects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.