Speaking Notes

for

Ken Dryden, Minister of Social Development Canada

Signing of the Canada-Manitoba Funding Agreement on

Early Learning and Child Care

Winnipeg, Manitoba

November 18, 2005

I am really very pleased to be here today for this important next step – the signing of the Canada-Manitoba Funding Agreement on Early Learning and Child Care.

I remember very vividly the scene here last April 29^th at the Discovery Children's Centre. Just a few months before, as Ministers responsible for Social Services from across Canada, we had met in Ottawa for the first time and recognized the urgent need to accelerate the development of quality early learning and child care across the country.

Then a few months after that, we agreed in Vancouver to a shared vision that such a system would be based on the QUAD principles of quality, universally inclusive, accessible and developmental. And a few days after that, the federal budget confirmed $5 billion to bring this vision to life.

And then, of course, that morning at the Discovery Children's Centre with Prime Minister Martin and Premier Doer. It is great to be back here and to see some of the faces that were there at that particular time. We were announcing our first agreement-in-principle and, with a first announcement, you never quite know what it's going to be like. For anybody who was there, it was unbelievable.

I remember walking into that gym and seeing people seemingly hanging from the rafters, people standing, and I think it's the only announcement that I've ever been a part of where people were high-fiving each other. Then I remember as Minister Melnick and were signing, that all of a sudden we could hear a voice singing Oh Canada. And I realized, we'd better stand up. It was really terrific. It just felt like what it was – a celebration.

The Canada-Manitoba Agreement-in-Principle we signed on that day defined our shared vision for early learning and child care and guiding QUAD principles, and provided a broad overview of the Government of Manitoba's goals and objectives on early learning and child care.

Now, with the release of Manitoba's action plan, we are able to move ahead to the signing of the agreement that confirms federal funding of $149 million over the next four years, on top of this year's $25.6 million.

What Minister Melnick and her department have planned for their early learning and child care system will bring significant improvements to programs and services for children and families in Manitoba.

The action plan and this funding agreement will lead to more and better quality options for parents, and they signify the commitment by both our governments to build a system of early learning and child care system in this province and across the country.

I want to thank Minister Melnick for her enthusiasm – and that's an understatement – and her hard work on behalf of the children of Manitoba. It is no accident that Manitoba was first to sign the agreement-in-principle and second to sign this final funding agreement. They want to get it right. As reflected in this agreement, they want to set a high standard for others to follow and they want to get at it.

I look forward to continuing to work closely with the Government of Manitoba as early learning and child care builds and develops and gets better and better here in this province and across the country. Thank you.