Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my riding, two young women recently graduated from Aurora College's Early Childhood development Program, along with another of their colleagues who graduated from Yukon College. These women are a northern success story. Gwich'in women who studied and trained in the Northwest Territories and Yukon; then took their skills home to our small community to care for the next generation through the Aboriginal Head Start program. But Mr. Speaker, the government's plans for junior kindergarten has left these Northerners concerned about both the children in their care and their future job prospects.
The administrators of Aboriginal Head Start in Fort McPherson were told that junior kindergarten would resume at Chief Julius School a full year sooner than they had expected. AHS staff members have also been put on three-month contract, in case junior kindergarten results in Aboriginal Head Start layoffs.
The department's study of junior kindergarten found that many long-term providers of early childhood programs, including Aboriginal Head Start, quote, "felt that their programs had been valued or respected." When small-community residents were surveyed, only 23 per cent said they had been provided with information that helped them understand junior kindergarten. We were told that things are different now, but Mr. Speaker, I'm not so sure.
The department has advised Aboriginal Head Start administrators that they, quote, "may need to refocus on younger children if there aren't enough kids for both programs." But, Mr. Speaker, this is not a simple thing. Such a change would alter staff-to-children ratios and require substantial staff re-training and program redesign. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted