Early Childhood Education Summit - Experts, Politicians, Citizens and Professionals Working Towards Equal Opportunity Français
MONTREAL, May 4, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Today is the opening day of the Early Childhood Education Summit, hosted by the Association québécoise des centres de la petite enfance (AQCPE, Quebec's leading association of early childhood centres). Discussions will revolve around a crucial question: How can we guarantee equal opportunity for all young citizens? The event will kick off with speeches by Pauline Marois, who was the Quebec Minister of Families from 1997 to 2001 and the Premier of Quebec from 2012 to 2014, and Sébastien Proulx, the current Quebec Minister of Families and Education.
Sponsored by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the Summit will welcome more than 500 participants—early childhood stakeholders, businesspeople, scientists, politicians and civil society representatives—who will explore the essence of the Early Childhood Education Commission's recommendations.
"We are thrilled to host such a wide spectrum of people and organizations," said AQCPE president and CEO Louis Senécal. "After launching a large-scale consultation that fed into the Early Childhood Education Commission's report, we are inviting people from all walks of society to speak out about every child's right to quality educational services from birth onwards."
A major, far-reaching event
Early childhood education is not a Quebec-only issue—far from it. In fact, several Canadian and international organizations will be watching the Summit unfold. Guest speakers include Jean-Yves Duclos, the federal Minister of Families; Julie Miville-Dechêne, the Quebec government representative within the Permanent Delegation of Canada to UNESCO; OECD representative Peggy Furic; and the Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain. Participants can also attend a conversation between Camil Bouchard and Alexandre Taillefer, and a panel discussion with world-renowned experts Nathalie Bigras, Michel Boivin, Pierre Fortin and Julie Poissant.
"With the Early Childhood Education Commission and Summit, we have reached a turning point. Twenty years after the implementation of Quebec's Family Policy, the time has come to take stock and—most importantly—to look to the future. Today, we have an opportunity to lay the foundations of a more equal and prosperous future for all citizens," added Louis Senécal.
About the AQCPE
The Association québécoise des centres de la petite enfance (AQCPE) is a network of social economy enterprises representing the interests of most daycare centres and coordinating offices for home-based daycare across Quebec. The AQCPE is recognized by its many partners as a leading stakeholder in the early childhood community, and its mission is to provide Quebec-wide leadership on all early childhood education and childcare issues.
SOURCE Association québécoise des centres de la petite enfance
Marie-Pier Côté, 418-999-4847, [email protected]
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