Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Junior kindergarten in the small communities is very important. Looking at all the discussions back and forth and starting with the small communities, I know we’ve had discussions and presentation dialogues in briefings before and we talk about the children that are being developmentally delayed that are entering the school system right now and any type of program that this government can offer, whether it is junior kindergarten or even early childhood development programs. But going with the Junior Kindergarten Program, the plan for the next three years, starting with the small communities, I am in big support of that, based on the fact that we see these high statistics of students entering the school system with such developmentally delayed issues and concerns and also looking at the early framework. The gist of the whole motion itself, the early framework that developed in BC in the occupational competencies that come along with that, I think that also needs to be developed in order to start focussing on some of the really early childhood things that we do.

To the amendment to the amendment, I can’t support it because it looks like it will be restricting getting these programs started, when in fact, right now I don’t think that our government can even certify early childhood workers right now to have that capacity.

For that, I would like to see the Junior Kindergarten Program started up in the new school year and start getting our kids ready for the school system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.