Julie Green

I'm going to ask the simplest question possible: is the Minister committed to phasing out the Social Work Program?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members on this side of the House have received variable answers about the future of the Social Work Program. We have heard both that the program is phased out, and will continue to be phased out; and we've also heard that the results of the foundational review are important to the future of the program. Mr. Speaker, my question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is: which one is it? Thank you.

What I am asking the Minister is: this college is under administration, so he has a direct role in its governance. When he asks for this report and receives it, what is he going to do with the results? I am not asking him to make it public. He has a terrible record of making things public. I am asking what he is going to do with the report.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement, there is a review of the social work program under way now at Aurora College. The report is due on April 10th. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment: why wasn't this review completed prior to making the decision to phase out the social work program? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the detail the Minister was able to provide in his answer. I guess my last question is about the funding for early childhood development initiatives. I understand that there is money from Canada coming for early childhood development. Could the Minister talk about how that is going to be spent? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can Mr. Stewart or another of the witnesses tell me what kind of accountability they have specifically for AVENS, if, in fact, they know? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for that response. Student achievement is one measure of this program, but I also have questions about value for money. I am wondering if there are other measures that the Minister is going to consider for junior kindergarten.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand what he said about increasing funding so that they can meet their obligations under their collective agreement. They have been at or near a deficit for a number of years. Will this funding amount make any difference to that situation? Thank you.

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What parents don't have is as much choice in programming for their four-year-olds. JK is rapidly becoming the only option. I'm also concerned that it may be using up resources that used to be ear-marked for early childhood development programs for children up to three years old. I'll have questions for the Minister. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am not satisfied with that response. We have asked the Minister continuously over not just weeks, but months, to share the details of this plan with us in confidence as the Standing Committee on Social Development. He has consistently refused to do that, and that's in spite of the fact that the Regular Members have received details of other federal governments' funding prior to an announcement.

This is strictly a stalling tactic by the Minister to avoid any accountability on the way that he is envisioning to spend this money. From what the deputy minister of...