April 29, 2005
Winnipeg, Manitoba

NEWS RELEASE

Prime Minister Paul Martin and Manitoba Premier Gary Doer, along with Social Development Minister Ken Dryden and Christine Melnick, Manitoba’s Minister of Family Services and Housing and Minister Responsible for Persons with Disabilities, announced today an historic Agreement in Principle that further supports the development of quality early learning and child care (ELCC) for young children and their families in Manitoba.



The Agreement in Principle sets out a long-term vision, principles, and goals to guide the development of regulated early learning and child care for children under six. It also outlines specific objectives that the Government of Manitoba will pursue over the next five years and how that Government will be accountable to Manitobans. Also, the governments of Canada and Manitoba will work with other provinces and territories to develop knowledge and information that will contribute to more effective early learning and child care programming. As part of this Agreement in Principle, the Government of Canada will work with Manitoba and other interested provincial and territorial governments to develop a National Quality Framework which will guide the development of early learning and child care programming across Canada.



“The surest measure of a forward-looking society is the effort it makes to help its youngest citizens,” said Prime Minister Martin. “This Agreement in Principle between Canada and Manitoba marks a major milestone that will move us toward a shared vision for early learning and child care. More agreements will follow. Decades ago, it was a series of such agreements that led to the creation of Medicare in Canada—a program that now helps to define us as Canadians.”



This announcement follows the Government of Canada’s February 2005 budget commitment to invest $5 billion over five years to enhance and expand high-quality developmental early learning and child care in collaboration with provinces and territories.



As announced in previous federal-provincial-territorial meetings on ELCC, this initiative will be guided by the QUAD principles: quality, universal inclusiveness, accessibility, and development.



“We are pleased that the federal government has followed through on this important commitment and, when these funds flow, they will provide critical support for Manitoba families and the province’s Five-Year Plan for Child Care,” Premier Doer said. “Today’s agreement will help us continue to build Manitoba’s child care and early childhood development system, which is one of the best in the country.”



“We are working with the provinces and territories to develop an ambitious, high-quality, developmental-based system of early learning and child care in every province and territory in the country,” said Minister Dryden. “Over the coming weeks, I expect that we will conclude Agreements in Principle with other provincial and territorial governments.”



Over the next five years, with financial support from the Government of Canada, Manitoba will strengthen its early learning and child care system so that families and children will benefit from higher quality, more developmental programs, and so that there will be additional—and more affordable—early learning and child care spaces. Manitoba will attain these objectives by making investments in its community-based, non-profit early learning and child care sector. Manitoba will develop and release a preliminary action plan on early learning and child care by July 1, 2005. Canada and Manitoba will also work together to conclude a detailed multi-year funding agreement by July 1, 2005.



“Manitoba is a leader in child care and early childhood development and this supports our vision,” said Minister Melnick. “In partnership with the child care community, we have enhanced early years programming, increased the number of funded spaces, and improved wages and training opportunities for child care workers. With this agreement, we will continue to move forward on fulfilling our five-year plan and beyond.”



Also under the agreement, Manitoba will work with the Government of Canada and the Aboriginal community to find practical solutions to address the early learning and child care needs of Aboriginal children. Manitoba will continue to report publicly on early learning and child care, so that Manitobans can track progress.



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Agreement in principle

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