Thank you, Mr. Chair. Finding and paying for quality childcare is a significant problem for many families in the NWT. Childcare is available to only 39 per cent of children ages zero to for in the NWT, and 12 communities don't have licensed childcare centres now, including centres with substantial populations, such as Fort Liard, Lutselk'e, Norman Wells, and Tsiigehtchic. As a reference point, one in four NWT families has a child under five. There is no question that need outstrips availability. This information comes from a feasibility study completed by academics on universal childcare delivered to the 17th Assembly last year. Parents now face a variety of choices for childcare. They can stay home and care for their children themselves; they can make arrangements with family members; they can use a day home, a daycare centre, or a program such as Aboriginal Head Start. All have their merits. Cost is the major issue. In the cost of living study for Yellowknife last year, childcare emerged as the second-largest expense for a family of four at over $1,500 to have one child in fulltime, licensed care and another in an after-school program. The cost to families is prohibitive, especially if they have more than one child. Often, one parent decides to stay home rather than work fulltime to pay for childcare.

The answer to this problem is to provide more quality childcare. The feasibility study I mentioned just now ran the numbers on cost and benefits. Childcare provided on a universal basis becomes an important part of the economy. It returns $1.16 to the local economy for every dollar spent on childcare. As well, every childcare job creates or sustains two more jobs in the economy. This is a better investment than in mining, oil, or gas sectors. The authors of the study estimate that implementing universal daycare will add at least $16 million to our NWT gross domestic product and at least $15 million in labour income. There would be increased tax revenue and a decrease in income assistance costs. What's important to note here is the benefit to the economy of investing in childcare as well as the benefits to children and families. Another benefit of providing universal and affordable childcare is that it would bring people, especially women, back into the workforce who are not working now, all other things being equal, such as jobs being available and the workers having the appropriate qualifications. While there’s no specific number for the NWT, studies of labour force participation in Quebec indicate a seven per cent increase in the size of the workforce, once universal childcare was introduce there in 1997. And of course, those who participate in the labour force pay taxes, another benefit to the economy. The cost to government of providing universal daycare is $20 million a year, if funded at the same level as Quebec. I don’t want to go down the road of how we’re going to pay for increased childcare. That’s a question we’ll address during budget deliberations. What I’m looking for now is agreement that we build on the feasibility study by creating an action plan and a timeline for rolling out universal daycare when our financial situation allows and Members agree that it is apriority. The study recommends that we study the PEI model, because our population is small, as theirs is, and their model has avoided some of the problems that have developed in Quebec delivery of childcare. What I’m looking for now is agreement that there is a significant need for licensed, affordable childcare in the NWT. Providing this care has development opportunities for children by providing them with education as well as care. It has the potential to help parents return to the workforce and the creation of a sector of our economy that is now described as a cottage industry. In short, Mr. Chair, it’s time.