Question Period Note: Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik Childcare in Nunavut

Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik is Iqaluit’s Inuktitut-only daycare that provides childcare services using Inuktitut as the language of communication as well as cultural education. The centre aims to preserve Inuktitut by providing culture-based learning and early language development in Inuktitut. According to reports, the childcare centre is on the verge of closing

• The Governments of Canada and Nunavut enjoy an excellent working relationship and Canada will continue to work with Nunavut to ensure the sustainability of child care operations in the territory.

• Indigenous early learning and child care (ELCC) investments complement provincial-territorial investments and form an integral part of a Canada-wide ELCC system to increase the availability of high-quality, culturally-appropriate and accessible programs and services to Indigenous peoples.

• The Government of Canada is investing over $27 billion to build a Canada-wide early learning and child care system. Combined with other investments, including in Indigenous ELCC, up to $30 billion over five years will be provided in support of ELCC.

If pressed on Inuktitut language services

• The Government of Canada is working in partnership with Nunavut Inuit partners to implement the co-developed Inuit ELCC Framework and build an Inuit ELCC system that is grounded in Inuktitut and Inuit culture.

• Inuit ELCC investments are advanced pursuant to Inuit leadership decisions on funding allocations, workplans and priorities. Canada is awaiting direction on permanent ongoing funding of over $25 million a year.

If pressed on Nunavut ELCC Investments

• The Canada-Nunavut Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (2021-2026) was signed on January 23, 2022, and provides $66.1 million in funding and an additional three-year ELCC Infrastructure Fund funding of $7.99M for 2023-2024 to 2025-2026.

• The Canada-Nunavut Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (2021-2025) was signed on August 13, 2021, and provides $10 million in funding and an additional one-year Workforce funding of $2.8 million for 2021-2022.

If pressed on Indigenous ELCC Infrastructure Investments

• As part of broader investments announced in Budget 2021 to establish a Canada-wide ELCC system, Indigenous-specific infrastructure investments are available beginning in 2023-2024 to build and maintain new centres in communities. This funding will also begin to address capital needs in line with the distinctions-based community infrastructure plans, led by Indigenous Services Canada.

• Major infrastructure projects will help improve access to culturally-appropriate ELCC in underserved Indigenous communities. Investments can support new or replacement buildings, expanded seats at existing centres or other initiatives or partnerships that create new spaces or expand availability of programming to be inclusive of the diverse needs of families. Indigenous partners can also leverage their other IELCC funding streams to support infrastructure development under the Indigenous ELCC Initiative.

• New and dedicated IELCC investments intended to support federal-Indigenous priorities also include supplemental funding via B2021 for:
o Governance and capacity;
o Programs and services;
o Before- and after-school care for First Nations on reserve (administered by Indigenous Services Canada in context of First Nations education); and
o Repairs and renovations (minor capital) for existing Indigenous Head Start and child care centres.

• Budget 2023 outlined a strategy to realign previously announced new IELCC infrastructure investments. These investments are earmarked to build new IELCC sites and/or replace existing sites that have outlived their useful life. This reprofile advanced some funding to later years to enable additional time to support Indigenous-led planning and prioritization processes.

• Budget 2023 adjusted the funding profile to extend the $420M over four years. As a result of this adjustment, the funding for new IELCC infrastructure investments is now $441 million over four years (2023-24 to 2026-27) and over $21M ongoing, with a 3% annual escalator applying as of 2027-28.

If pressed on Bill C-35, An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada

• The legislation reinforces the Government of Canada’s commitment to work in collaboration with Indigenous peoples to establish and maintain early learning and child care systems that are rooted in Indigenous knowledge, cultures and languages and led by Indigenous peoples. This is a key principle in the co-developed Indigenous ELCC Framework and a binding commitment under the Indigenous Languages Act.

• The Act fully respects provincial and territorial jurisdiction, and Indigenous rights, including the right to self-determination, while recognizing that the federal government has a role to play in setting guiding federal principles and in providing financial support. The Act does not impose any conditions or requirements upon provincial and territorial governments, or Indigenous peoples. That said, provinces, territories, and Indigenous organizations and governing bodies benefit from the greater predictability and assurance of a federal commitment to early learning and child care.

On May 22, 2024, a question was raised during Question Period that indicated that Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik, and Inuktitut-only daycare in Iqualuit, is on the verge of closing. Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik provides childcare services using Inuktitut as the language of communication as well as cultural education. The centre aims to preserve Inuktitut by providing culture-based learning and early language development in Inuktitut.

• In 2021, Nunavut’s estimated population was 40,586, of which 85% identify as Inuit.

• Nunavut is comprised of 25 communities located in three time zones, all of which are fly-in communities. Given the unique landscape, infrastructure development is challenging, in particular for daycares across the territory.

• Daycares are operating out of some of the community’s oldest buildings which were originally constructed in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s—many of these facilities are operating outside of the currently building code regulations.