These documents are about you. 

They are about your parents and your friends and the communities you live in - and they are about the wonderful institutions of learning such as this one that play such an important part in helping all young Canadians get the basic knowledge and skills that are necessary for success later on in life.

They are about how all of us need to change our attitudes and our actions to give all children a better chance for a better future.

In fact, it is very appropriate that we are making this announcement here at King George Community School.  

I referred to you as "fellow students" because governments themselves have had to go "back to school" over the past few years to learn the importance of teamwork.  

That is what our federal, provincial and territorial Ministerial Council on Social Policy Renewal is all about. 

That is also what the new Social Union Framework Agreement reached between governments is all about. Teamwork.

What Premier Romanow and Prime Minister Chrétien and my colleagues and I have learned is that we can get a lot more done and we can have programs that are a lot more helpful to Canadians if all levels of government and communities and others work together.  

We have already achieved major progress in helping improve the lives of children living in poverty and the lives of persons living with disabilities.

We worked together to create the National Child Benefit that provides more money, more services and more support for low-income families with children.

By the year 2000 the Government of Canada will have invested $1.7 billion in the program.  And provincial and territorial governments are also putting more resources into helping children.

We are doing this to make sure that every child growing up in this country has the best chance possible to be what they want to be.
 

We’re making real progress and we are not stopping here.

It’s important to have a long-term strategy to ensure the well-being of our children.  Something that can serve as a touchstone for everyone who works with children – that can include parents, community organizations, educators and governments.

That is what the National Children’s Agenda we are releasing today is designed to do.  It represents an unprecedented commitment by governments to put the well-being of children front and centre in this country.  It is a unique opportunity to work closely with Aboriginal Canadians to address the needs of Aboriginal children.

These issues touch all of us.  All of us need to be part of the solution.
 

That is why we are inviting parents, teachers, children, community organizations, schools, businesses, the voluntary sector and everyone else to get involved.  Tell us how you think we can move forward together.  Tell us about the things we might not have considered.  And you can even tell us what works, too!

The lines of communication are open.

In addition to roundtable meetings with community and other organizations across the country, we have also set up an internet website and a 1-800 number to give people a chance to participate.

Special efforts are also going to be made to have Aboriginal participation.  The presence here today of Perry Bellegarde, from the Assembly of First Nations; Gerald Morin, from the Metis National Council; Harry Daniels, from the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples; and  Sandra Greyeyes, from the Native Women's Association of Canada, shows that we are serious about that.

Canadians have always had what I call a "passion for balance". 

 We believe that everybody deserves a fair chance.  We believe in equality, in sharing our successes, in generosity, in openness, in welcoming people from around the world, and in sharing responsibility for each other. 

The National Children's Agenda reflects that passion - that commitment we have to one another.  

And I think it also shows that we are starting to work together at every level to develop a new ethic of care in this country - something I am very proud to be part of.

Thank you.