Excerpt: Paul Martin is calling on all levels of government to invest in early childhood development initiatives, even in these times of fiscal restraint. The former Prime Minister, who opened a three-day early child development conference at Mount Allison University with a passionate speech last Wednesday afternoon, said Canada can not afford to rest on its laurels when it comes to funding a child’s early years. And he said governments should not use tough economic times as justification for ignoring those needs.

Martin, a long-time former finance minister, said Canada will need to ensure it has an educated populace to keep up with the developing high-tech industries across the world. “The world is about to get a heck of a lot more competitive,” he said.

Martin explained that, as Canada comes out of the current recession, it will need to compete against giants like China and India, and not just the US which will “no longer be the leading engine of growth.”

But without a comparable population to these other countries, he said Canadians will need to ensure they can compete based on their skills and innovation.

That’s why governments need to take action now, he said, because early child development is clearly the “pathway to better learning.”

“We can not afford to waste the talent of even one young Canadian.” Link to article>>

"Former PM says children need our investment now: Paul Martin blasts Conservatives for undoing progress on early childhood learning and development"
By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript
Published Thursday May 14th, 2009

Excerpt: With her opening words, Dr. Robin Williams set the challenge. "This conference is born out of a sense of urgency that we need to stop talking and get something done," she said at the outset of the Putting Science into Action: Equity from the Start through Early Childhood Development conference, an international gathering of academics running at Mount Allison University yesterday through Friday.

That was a message embraced by former Prime Minister Paul Martin…Now is indeed the time to get something done, Martin said, emphasizing tough economic times was no excuse for putting the needs of children on the back burner.

"Governments are going to tell you that early learning is something they simply cannot afford at this time. When they do, I might suggest you'd like to reply as follows," Martin advised. "First, early childhood development should be an essential part of any economic stimulus package," he said to raucous applause. "More than anything else, it's the gift that keeps giving." Link to story>>

"Province can learn frm experts at Sackville sessions, premier says"
By Benjamin Shingler
Telegraph Journal
Published Thursday May 14th, 2009

Excerpt: Premier Shawn Graham says his government can learn from the experts gathered at an early childhood development conference at Mount Allison University.  Graham attended the conference Wednesday, meeting with delegates and outlining the Liberal government's agenda for early childhood development in an afternoon speech. "I'm there to listen to stakeholders from across the country for what opportunities they have there to put forward," Graham told reporters in Fredericton before departing for Sackville. "We recognize that this is a critical component of the government's agenda."

...Graham said in his conference address that the Liberal government has taken steps to improve early childhood education. A copy of the speech was made available to the media.

"This commitment is rooted in our belief that in order to excel as a society, we must all view our children's earliest years as a critical time for us to take action to ensure they'll become healthy and productive adults," he said. Link to article>>

"High-profile arrivals at conference"
Author unknown
Telegraph Journal
Published Thursday May 14th, 2009

Excerpt: Former prime minister Paul Martin, left, Maple Leaf Foods chairman Wallace McCain, centre, and Premier Shawn Graham, right, arrive Wednesday at the Council for Early Child Development's national conference at Mount Allison University. Link to photo>>

"Province has 'momentum n early childhood development"
By Matt McCann
Telegraph Journal
Published Wednesday May 13th, 2009

Excerpt: "Countries around the world are really moving more quickly than Canada to put in place a universal program," said Marilyn Trenholme Counsell, the local chairwoman of the conference. "It's very difficult without strong government leadership and strong government support. In some respects, that has been lacking across Canada."

… Trenholme Counsell, who, as one of her last acts as a senator commissioned a report on the status of early childhood development in Canada, will also speak. "It has to be a coming together of governments - federal, provincial, municipal, and communities too - to make this happen in each community, because each community is different," Trenholme Counsell said.

Conference co-chairperson Margaret McCain said there's a greater need in Atlantic Canada when it comes to the early nurturing of our kids. "I think our literacy scores tell the story," she said. "As a country, our human development outcomes are not where they should be with other developed countries, certainly in the area of early childhood development."

Canada ranks 21st among 30 countries ranked by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development when it comes to infant mortality and 27th among 29 nations in childhood obesity, according to the Council for Early Childhood Development.

... The OECD has called for a national strategy in Canada, "but we haven't had that yet," Trenholme Counsell said. Link to article>>

"Broken promises: Conference former PM says governing Tories not committed to early childhood development"
By Quentin Casey
Telegraph Journal
Published Monday May 12th, 2009

Excerpt: Former prime minister Paul Martin says the federal Conservatives have abandoned any commitment to early childhood development, mainly by chopping the first national early learning and child care program, which was instituted by the Liberals. "The program was to provide the moneys to train child care workers to make sure that early childhood learning was vibrant," the former Liberal prime minister told the Telegraph-Journal in an interview.

...Martin, who will speak at the event, said his national program was designed to plug the gaps in each province's individual child care systems - by providing funding for everything from extra daycare seats to salaries for child care workers.

"The single most important economic program you can have is early childhood education"¦ It means that all children, but disadvantaged children in particular, are much better prepared for school," Martin said.

"I think it's both a moral issue and an economic issue."

But federal Conservative Rodney Weston says Martin and other Liberals completely discount the Tories' approach to the issue.

"I chuckle when I hear the former prime minister talk about us breaking a promise. It wasn't the Conservative government's promise. It was a promise made by the Liberal party," said the Saint John MP.

"We kept our commitment to an early childhood benefit"¦ that goes to every family in Canada."

The Conservatives currently provide a universal child care benefit of $100 per month for each child under six, and they say they have helped the provinces and territories create more than 60,000 child care spaces since March 2008. Link to article>>

"Give all kids a head start"
Editorial
Telegraph Journal
Published Wednesday May 12th, 2009

Excerpt: Across Canada and around the world, governments are working to promote literacy and numeracy - the primary tools of learning. A child's success in picking up these tools depends on early childhood development.

This week, a conference of national and international experts on early childhood development will convene at Mount Allison University. They'll be discussing ways that governments can help lay the groundwork for learning - without the state becoming a substitute for family.

In Canada, there have been some heated political battles over where early childhood education should take place and who should be delivering it. There is no argument over the importance of balanced childhood development. Children who do not develop in the early years face hardship in school, in the workplace and in relationships. Governments of very different political philosophies have acknowledged the necessity of giving all families the resources they need to help their children grow.

We hope federal politicians will follow the discussion as well. Education is an issue of national importance - and without equal access to the learning experiences that shape early development, many children will not be able to fully participate in Canadian society. Link to article>>

"Conference will bring together early child development experts, policymakers, advocates to take action on natioanl child care system"
By Katie Tower
Sackville Tribune Post
Published Thursday May 7th, 2009

Excerpt: Marilyn Trenholme Counsell, retired Canadian Senator and former lieutenant governor of New Brunswick, … says the question is no longer if we should help prepare children for school and for life, but how.  “I think the science wasn’t understood until about a decade ago,” she says. “But now we have the data to confirm this and we know how crucial the early years are for development. We know that quality child care can benefit every child.”

The conference, entitled Putting Science into Action, is being hosted by the Council for Early Child Development (CECD) and it will bring together the best minds in the field – experts in neuroscience, public policy, medicine, psychology, economics, education, community economic development and more. It will feature speakers from Sweden, Australia, the United States and Latin America, as well as renowned Canadian authorities from coast to coast.

The goal, says Trenholme Counsell, is to bring the policymakers together with the experts to connect the science of early child development with what governments can and should be doing.
“We are hoping that we will raise the level of awareness, interest, determination and commitment at all levels of government,” she says. “It’s all about building systems that work, and hopefully this will be the start of a cross-Canada action for change.

Governments across Canada have largely ignored early childhood initiatives, according to the CECD. The federal government spends less than many other countries in supporting families with young children, either through direct transfers or in the provision of preschool programs. “We have simply not made it a priority,” says Trenholme Counsell. Link to article>>