Mr. Speaker, providing funds for education today is an investment in tomorrow. It is an investment in people at the same time as it is an investment for the Northwest Territories. For these reasons, this budget includes an additional $2.7 million for student support services. Actions taken by this government continue to fulfil our legislative requirement to establish a pupil/teacher ratio of 16.5 to one for 2002-2003. In addition, we will increase student support funding to 15 per cent of school contributions, one year in advance of the requirement set out in legislation.
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Last year, we implemented an Early Childhood Development Action Plan to improve programs and services for our youngest residents through enhanced program spending and better coordination of programs and delivery mechanisms. We committed $10.5 million over three years for this plan. This budget includes nearly $2.9 million in 2002-2003 for initiatives under this plan. This funding includes initiatives in speech development, literacy rates, screening tools for developmental delay tests, and a public awareness campaign to tackle key issues such as FAS/FAE and nutrition. In addition to these actions, we will be investing a further $2 million for the implementation of the second year of a three-year plan to enhance child protection. Ten additional social workers and expanded professional training for workers and foster parents will be provided using these funds.
All Members of this Assembly have heard strong, clear messages, Mr. Speaker, from the Status of Women Council of the NWT, the Native Women's Association of the NWT and, in fact, all organizations represented on the Social Agenda Working Group, that many families need support in regaining self-sufficiency and pride. We need to provide families with access to quality, reliable childcare that is affordable for parents. Investing in children's early years provides more opportunity for children to reach their full potential in school performance. It also can help reduce future expenditures. The Honourable Jake Ootes, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, will be implementing measures to increase day care support funding. This budget provides an additional $1 million to fund these increases.
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This initiative will both increase educational opportunities for children and respond to the needs of low-income northern families by removing barriers to affordable childcare.
Mr. Speaker, our young people are our future. We need to help our youth become healthy, educated people with the experiences and mentoring examples to make responsible personal choices. This budget includes $1 million to develop and implement a Youth Corps.
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The Youth Corps will be designed to improve the outlook and opportunities for young people by providing support and leadership for an extended time period. Activities in the Youth Corps will include work assignments, volunteer and community contribution assignments and skills improvement. We will also contribute funding to host another youth conference this year and will assist with the costs of youth activities delivered by community organizations.