Mr. Speaker, all children in the NWT deserve the best possible care, nurturing and support, so that they can develop physically, emotionally, socially, culturally and spiritually. When these supports are in place right from the start, children are more likely to grow up to become healthy productive members of their communities and society. 

The Departments of Health and Social Services and Education, Culture and Employment continue to work in partnership to ensure that there is increased access and participation in early childhood programs, enhanced quality of early childhood services, and improved integration and collaboration at all levels of the early childhood system. Achieving our vision and goals requires an effective, comprehensive, and coordinated approach to improve early childhood developmental outcomes. Today I would like to update you on some of the achievements in our Right from the Start Early Childhood Development Action Plan. 

In December 2014, Education, Culture and Employment launched the Early Childhood Staff Grant Program. This Program supplements the traditionally low wages of the early childhood sector, to help attract new people and encourage them to further their post-secondary training. Making the field more attractive to trained people is critical, as the quality of early childhood programs is directly related to the number of years of training that staff have. To date, we have received more than 140 applications, and the first payments will be made on February 13, 2015. 

Mr. Speaker, we also successfully implemented another key action identified in the Early Childhood Education Action Plan. In January 2015, 10 successful applicants were awarded the first ever Right from the Start Early Childhood Development Scholarship. At $5,000 each, these scholarships will help our northern students to achieve their goals and complete their early childhood development post-secondary training, investments further benefitting our NWT children. 

To support new parents and caregivers as they embark on the important journey of raising children, ECE will give them iPads filled with useful early childhood apps and resources. We know this generation of parents are much more technologically savvy, and we want to provide them with resources that will assist them in raising their children. Distributing the iPads will also give us an important opportunity to introduce new parents to early childhood staff and resources available in their communities. What better way for relationships to develop than learning about fun and relevant resources that benefit modern parents and caregivers as they are raising their children. These iPads are the techno “baby bags” of the future. I look forward to seeing how tradition combines with innovation to continue serving our children and families in the NWT. 

Mr. Speaker, these are but a few of the commitments and innovations emerging out of the Right from the Start Framework and Action Plan, very actively underway. These developing programs and services are streamlining and improving access for our families with young children, and creating an understanding that investing in our youngest children is an investment in the future of the Northwest Territories. 

Masi, Mr. Speaker.