Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government agrees that early childhood development is important and also it is one of the priorities of this government. I would like to thank the Members for raising the significance of the early childhood development, because Education, Culture and Employment has already made it a priority and is researching the best way to proceed.

ECE is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Services to revise and renew the existing Early Childhood Development Framework for Action. The chief medical health officer has recently been identified to lead the development of the revised draft framework. A working group has been struck for renewal of the framework with representatives from the Department of Health and

Social Services and Department of Education, Culture and Employment. The consultation will be an important part of the process and will be taken across the Northwest Territories in the fall of 2012.

Early learning and care is a component of the framework. Education, Culture and Employment is planning the following developments under the early learning and care component of the revised framework:

• The expansion of the early childhood education

and care programs using the Aboriginal Head Start model and a new Northwest Territories-developed curriculum.

• Initiation of a two-year on-site early childhood

development and care diploma through Fort Smith Campus of Aurora College. The transition year will be 2013-2014. The first graduates will be in May 2016.

• The development of trial territorial early learning

framework through partnership with Yukon and Nunavut to be completed in April 2013.

Once this final stage of the review is completed, a renewal of the Early Childhood Development Framework will be put forward for consideration during the 2013-2014 planning cycle.

We have already begun working with the leaders of the Northwest Territories on this particular topic. On May 4, 2012, Health and Social Services and Education, Culture and Employment hosted initial discussions with the stakeholders on the development of child and family resource centres. The departments are working on an action plan to develop two such centres in the current fiscal year.

On May 8th and 9th I held my first annual meeting

with the school boards and leaders of all major Aboriginal organizations in the Northwest Territories. The four pillars of Aboriginal Student Achievement were discussed at this high-level education and Aboriginal leadership meeting. Of course, early childhood education and child care is the first pillar of ASA. The regional leaders broke into regional groups and discussed and made recommendations on early childhood education and child care. The results of both meetings resulted in revamping the Early Childhood Development Framework for Action.

As this is a recommendation to our government, Cabinet members will abstain from voting.