Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise in the Chamber today to tell of the official opening of a new day care in Eriksdale Elementary School on December 8th of this year. The dream commenced in 2005 when the Eriksdale CDC brought community stakeholders together to form a day-care committee.

Together with Manitoba Family Services, Manitoba Community Places program, the R.M. of Eriksdale, the Lakeshore School Division and Community Futures West Interlake, the committee saw that dream become a reality when the doors of the Eaglets Day Care opened for business on October the 15^th. Among the many organizers I want to especially thank are Jackie Torgerson, Monica Fuchs, Todd Goranson and Bruce Law for their hard work and determination.

Manitoba has established itself as a national leader in child care through Family Choices, a comprehensive plan based on accessibility, affordability, and quality. In 2008-2009 the government made a $2.5 million available to renovate surplus space for child-care facilities. An additional $20 million will be made available over the next four years, beginning in 2010. In particular, this project was supported by a $323,000 grant from Manitoba Family Services. Of course, securing funding and space is only half the battle in providing quality care.

The other, often understated, half is staffing these facilities with committed early childhood educators. Campus Manitoba, a consortium of Manitoba's post-secondary institutions, was able to offer training in Eriksdale through the Red River College Distance Education program. Three young women from the Eriksdale area who took part in the program are now working at the day care. On behalf of the provincial government and the people of the Interlake, I congratulate the community of Eriksdale on this successful endeavour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.