Mr. Chair, I think this does bring merit to the issue of daycare facilities in small communities. I know the staff understands, mainly because of the initial results from the EDI instrument that we were trying to address. Kids are going into school as high as 69 percent not developed. I think this motion speaks to that. It’s also an opportunity where we can support mothers, parents, which ultimately leads to parenting skills but it’s also an opportunity where we are able to monitor a child and allow this child, also, before they go into the junior kindergarten, to develop through play-based initiatives and interaction. It would be kind of a one stop shop, I guess you would say, for speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physio, audio, where we get all the children in one area where we can do the assessments on them and do the necessary programs and, I guess, treatment that they may need in the long run or kind of plans to develop. It also provides an opportunity to provide healthy food to the child growing up. It would be an opportunity for coordination of other early childhood programs and we talk about wraparound services in this Early Childhood Development Action Plan and this will be a great opportunity to address those as well. There are a lot of reasons that support this alone.

I know we are trying to take the junior kindergarten route, but before that, you heard colleagues speak about the prenatal to three and I think by providing this, just list off some of the stuff that I listed or really get base of support that this is something that the department really needs to take serious consideration of, not solely but working with the Department of Health and Social Services, which this action plan here clearly states that they have to work together.

We brought the motion forward in this department because I know there was a focus on junior kindergarten, but we also have to make sure that that is not the only focus in the small communities. We also care about the child’s development. You go right down to United Nations’ rights of the child 1991 proclamation. We go as far back as that. We have to start practicing those, as well, and start with this government. If you didn’t know already, I will be supporting the motion. Thank you.