Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the motion. Mr. Lafferty.

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.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. I’ll allow the mover of the motion for closing remarks. Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve done a lot of work in my time in the communities within my governments. I’ve participated on the front line with a lot of community workers, teachers, parents, concerned Members, leaders in our communities. What it always comes down to is everybody sees it

in their communities. The social issues that impact our community can be addressed by putting money and investing into our early childhood development. Like I said when I was talking earlier, I thought this government was working on this already. I had the assumption and confidence that our government was working to make our communities and economy a lot healthier and safer. To come into this government as a new Member and to see that eight months into this Assembly we’re actually asking the government to invest money into early childhood development that’s going to our population and our residents for years to come. I’m very proud that on this side we get the chance to vote in favour of a motion to support our families back home, to support our constituents, to support our communities and our families, to support our educators, our health practitioners, the people in the justice system, all the departments that are affected by the lack of investment into this initiative, which is early childhood development.

It’s stated that every dollar you invest in early childhood development, the returns are about $6 to $8. That alone should say that we should be investing more money in there. As we go through the budget, some of the line items that I’ve been seeing are very shocking to me and the lack of funding in some areas is even more shocking. As this government, we have the opportunity so that when we invest today, that in years to come we’re going to start to see a healthier, more educated group of youth, a healthier, more educated generation of adults in our Northwest Territories and in our communities so that we can start to see the benefits of what we do today in years to come.

I thank all Members here for their comments, for their passion, their concern for our people of the Northwest Territories. I’d also like to give the Premier an opportunity to allow his Cabinet to vote freely on this, to allow their Members back home, their family, their communities, show them the support that they need for this early childhood development.

Mr. Speaker, I’m going to be asking for a recorded vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Member is seeking a recorded vote. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour, please stand.

All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand.

Thank you, colleagues. All those in favour, 11; all those opposed, zero; abstentions, six. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Motion 3-17(3), Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d prefer to bring that motion forward tomorrow, with your permission. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. You have my permission. Item 19, first reading of bills. Mr. Abernethy.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 2, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2012, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Bill 2 has had first reading.

---Carried

Item 20, second reading of bills. Item 21, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 2-17(3), Commissioner’s Opening Address: Creating the Conditions for Success; Tabled Document 3-17(3), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2012-2013; and Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, with Ms. Bisaro in the chair.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to resume consideration of Tabled Document 3-17(3), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2012-2013, with Education, Culture and Employment, Transportation, and possibly Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. We will resume after a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

I call Committee of the Whole back to order. We are dealing with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Minister Lafferty, do you have witnesses to bring into the Chamber?

Yes, Madam Chair.

Does the committee agree to bring witnesses in?

Thank you, committee. Sergeant-at-Arms, would you please escort the witnesses into the Chamber?

Mr. Lafferty, if you could introduce the witnesses for the record, please.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. To my left is acting deputy minister of ECE Gloria Iatridis, and to my right is Paul Devitt, director of business strategic services within ECE. Mahsi.