Question Period Note: Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care

Implementation of the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework

• The Government of Canada is enabling the early learning and child care priorities set by Indigenous communities—with a co-developed Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework and $1.7 billion in new funding over 10 years, starting in 2018-19.

• This funding is in addition to existing federal investments in early learning and child care programming for Indigenous children and complements provincial and territorial funding announced in Budget 2017.

• The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework is grounded in broad engagement, co-developed with Indigenous partners and supports all Indigenous peoples regardless of where they live.

• We are already seeing progress with nearly $100 million in new funds reaching First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation communities last year (2018-19). This funding is making a difference for children and families.

The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, supported by the Ministers of Indigenous Services, Health, and Status of Women, led work to collaborate with Indigenous peoples to co-develop an Indigenous Early Learing and Child Care (ELCC) Framework.
While engagement was taking place on the new Framework, Budget 2016 invested $129.4 million over two years to support three existing federal early learning and child care programs:
• Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve (AHSOR), administered by the Department of Indigenous Services Canada (previously Health Canada);
• Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC), administered by the Public Health Agency of Canada; and,
• First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative (FNICCI), administered by Employment and Social Development Canada.
Throughout 2017, the Government of Canada worked closely with Indigenous partners to undertake broad engagement on Indigenous ELCC - reaching over 3,000 participants through town halls, regional and national meetings, and online surveys.
On September 17, 2018 the Government of Canada, the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council jointly released the co-developed Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework aimed at strengthening early learning and child care programs and services for Indigenous children and families.
To ensure it stands the test of time, the Framework does not include program or funding details, but signals a commitment to ongoing collaboration to inform implementation in 2018-19 and into the future. It sets a vison for happy and safe Indigenous children and families, strong cultural identity, and a comprehensive and coordinated system that is anchored in self-determination, centred on children and grounded in culture.
The Indigenous ELCC Framework is supportive and consistent with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Call to Action #12, which directs federal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments to work together to develop culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Indigenous families.
The Government heard through engagement that the Head Start and First Nations and Inuit Child Care programs make a real difference in the lives of the children and families they serve. These programs will play an important role in continuing to strengthen ELCC going forward. New investments are over and above existing funding which already supports communities. As work advances towards making these programs more flexible and inclusive, any changes will be in close collaboration with Indigenous Partners over time.

In support of the Indigenous ELCC Framework, the Government of Canada is investing $1.7 billion over 10 years to strengthen early learning and child care programs and services for Indigenous children and families starting in 2018-19. This is part of the commitment of $7.5 billion over 11 years the Government has made to support and create more high-quality affordable child care across the country. This more than doubled federal investments in Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care programs through the FNICCI, AHSOR and AHSUNC programs.

Starting in 2018-19, up to $1.02 billion will support ELCC for First Nations and will be managed in partnership with First Nations. Up to $111 million will support ELCC for Inuit and will be managed in partnership with Inuit. Up to $450 million will support ELCC for the Métis Nation and will be managed in partnership with the Métis Nation. In 2018-19 nearly $100 million in new investments reached First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation communities. These investments have supported 460 First Nations communities, 73 Inuit communities and the launch of new Métis specific ELCC programs and services.

In addition to the three distinctions-based envelopes for ELCC services, partnerships, governance and transformative action:
• The Government is also enhancing existing “pan-Indigenous” ELCC programming by dedicating $34 million over 10 years, starting in 2018-19, to existing AHSUNC sites (especially located in urban communities). AHSUNC is recognized as a strong program that makes a real difference in the lives of the children and families it serves.
• $44 million is available to fund application-based, Indigenous-led Quality Improvement Projects to advance foundational elements of Indigenous ELCC.
• Data and Innovation funding announced in Budget 2017, provides an opportunity for Indigenous organizations/recipients and participation in supporting improved ELCC Data or innovative projects.

The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework and its corresponding investments complement Provincial and Territorial programming and funding under the Multilateral ELCC Framework and creates opportunities for Indigenous communities to partner with Provinces and Territories where desired.

The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Transformation Initiative is a horizontal initiative across multiple federal departments. New flexible programming authorities enable Indigenous-led investments in a broad range of ELCC priorities for all Indigenous children and families to matter where they live in Canada. The Initiative is using a new partnership model to facilitate Indigenous-led decision making to advance national and regional priorities. Early results for 2018-19 include: establishment of interim national partnership tables; development of regional and community allocations, which were supported by Indigenous leadership; and development of regional plans that identified short and medium term priorities.

• In September 2018 the Government released the co-developed Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework, jointly with First Nation, Inuit and Métis Nation leadership.

• $100 million in new investments reached communities in 2018-19, as part of $1.7 billion in new funding over 10 years.

“Access to high-quality, appropriate and culturally-rooted early learning and child care is a fundamental component in achieving social equity and improving socio-economic outcomes for Inuit in Canada. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami has been proud to provide Inuit-specific guidance to the Framework and looks forward to continued collaboration on ensuring the vision it sets out is realized for Inuit children and families across Canada.”
– Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

“The IELCC Framework with the Métis Nation Early Learning and Child Care will bring unprecedented change to our families' futures. This is a major investment in the lives of our Nation providing solid foundations for building strong and healthy children and families. Today's announcement marks another practical milestone along the path of reconciliation negotiated by the Métis Nation and Prime Minister Trudeau's government.”
– David Chartrand, Vice President of the Métis National Council

“Healthy children are raised in healthy environments,” (…) “First Nations children will have enhanced opportunities for success when they have identities built from strong connections to their nations, languages, cultures and history. This framework is reflective of direction and input by First Nations experts in health, education and early childhood education. It can now be used as a guide for First Nations to create their own early learning and child care systems based on their vision for their children and families. The implementation is crucial and I look forward to continued participation by First Nations to determine how this will roll out in our nations.”
– Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN)