Question Period Note: Early Childhood - Language clauses in new Early Learning and Child Care Agreements 2021-2026

The Government of Canada has made an important investment of more than $27 billion over five years through Budget 2021 to build an early learning and childcare system across Canada, in collaboration with the provinces and territories. Combined with other investments, including Indigenous early learning and childcare, up to $30 billion over five years is being provided to support early learning and childcare.

• Our government recognizes the importance of the continuum of minority language education from early childhood to high school and we have committed to strengthening it in our reform document.
• Early childhood plays a critical role in fostering language transmission, identity building and maintaining the demographic weight of Francophones in the country.
• I will work with my colleagues to ensure that the needs of Francophone minority communities are taken into account and respected in the new agreements with the provinces and territories.

• The Government of Canada has made an important investment of more than $27 billion over five years through Budget 2021 to build an early learning and childcare system across Canada in collaboration with the provinces and territories. Combined with other investments, including Indigenous early learning and childcare, up to $30 billion over five years is being provided to support early learning and childcare.
• These investments support the early learning and childcare program in accordance with the 2017 Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework, which was developed with the provinces and territories and has inclusiveness as a core principle.
o The signatory governments recognize the diverse and multicultural fabric of Canada and that early learning and childcare systems are respectful of language and culture and recognize the unique needs of official language minority communities (OLMC). Under the Framework's principle of inclusiveness, OLMC are recognized as one of the target groups.
• The Government of Canada recently concluded new multi-year agreements for 2021-2026 with provincial and territorial governments on early learning and childcare. The Government of Quebec has also reached an asymmetrical agreement with Canada to strengthen the early learning and childcare system in the province. Only one agreement remains to be signed, with Ontario.
• Although the new agreements with the provinces and territories contain language clauses that address OLMC, community stakeholders such as the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada and the Commission nationale des parents francophones have reacted to the developments. According to these organizations, the language clauses in the agreements are not strong enough, and they are calling for specific envelopes and measures for Francophones in minority settings.
• In addition to the investments made under the new agreements with the provinces and territories, Canada is also providing $20 million in funding for early childhood development and French-language childcare services in OLMC under the Action Plan for Official Languages - 2018-2023: Investing in Our Future.

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