Indigenous children benefit greatly from early learning opportunities rooted in their culture and language. In the spirit of reconciliation and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action #12, the Government of Canada is committed to promoting and investing in Indigenous-led early learning and child care to ensure First Nations, Inuit and Métis children have the best possible start in life.
Today, Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Official Languages, on behalf of Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, joined by Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, announced the Government of Canada's investment of $1,388,000 in Atikameksheng Anishnawbek's Quality Improvement Project.
The project, Anishnawbek Cultural Values and Well-being Based Early Childhood Development, will work to engage children in the community to learn Anishnawbek culture, laws, language and traditions from Elders and traditional knowledge keepers as part of their early childhood development.
Moreover, it will advance the vision and goals of the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework by:
- developing a vision or framework for a high-quality, culturally appropriate early learning and child care system in an Indigenous context;
- building and strengthening local Indigenous early learning and child care licensing rules and procedures;
- supporting ongoing education and training for Indigenous early learning and child care leaders, management and staff; and/or
- creating new tools, curriculum or training to support Indigenous early learning and child care staff working with children with special needs.
