September 6, 2011

The Hon Margaret Norrie McCain celebrates the launch of the Jimmy Pratt Foundation in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and congratulates chair, Kathy Pratt LeGrow and board members. 

MWMFF will partner with the new foundation to support early childhood research at the Faculty of Education, Memorial University. 

See http://www.jimmyprattfoundation.org

Margaret McCain, Kathy Pratt LeGrow and Jimmy Pratt Foundation board members

Kathy Pratt LeGrow announced the launch of the Jimmy Pratt Foundation in St. John's, Newfoundland. The foundation will support research and program development to ensure all children have opportunities to live resilient ...

Smart Start is a comprehensive program that offers a continuum of services to children, parents and families. At the core are Smart Start Early Years Centres that offer early learning and child care to preschool children and a continuum of services to their families.  

Smart Start began as a preschool program five years ago located in Prince Street School and modelled after Toronto First Duty. A partnership with the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation (MWMFF) in 2009 expanded Smart Start into a full-time preschool and infant program, aligned with the school system.

In 2010, the PEI government introduced full ...

When do the Payoffs Start and How Big is the Return?

On June 22nd, 2011, an Economic Forum on Early Learning took place in Toronto. Economist Dr. Pierre Fortin of the University of Québec at Montréal discussed his new work that reveals the benefits of Quebec’s full-time, publicly-supported learning and care program begin immediately and the payoffs are more far-reaching than speculated. 

Award-winning economist Robert Fairholm of the Centre for Spatial Economics spoke about how almost all Canadian governments make the wrong decision when allocating their economic stimulus dollars. At a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Lars Osberg, McCulloch ...

Débuts prometteurs pour enfants ruraux grâce à Start SMART

BURTTS CORNER, NB - An innovative new children’s centre officially opened its doors here today at a local school packed with kids, parents, government and community officials. Special guests Premier David Alward and Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Jody Carr toured the facility and chatted with children, parents and staff.
 
Called “Start SMART,” the program is a unique partnership between Keswick Valley Memorial School, Family Resource Centres, District 14 of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and Neighbours Alliance of North York, the community organization that oversees the ...

Source: Telegraph-Journal

Mission: Twenty years later, Margaret Norrie McCain's focus is still on nurturing the minds of young children. She hopes politicians won't abandon an issue that transcends politics and election campaigns.

On a muggy late-spring afternoon, with the smell of an approaching thunderstorm thick in the air, Margaret Norrie McCain settles into an armchair and, like the true Maritimer she is, meanders into the story.

The air is still and the house is silent except for her voice, which is soft, but so articulate and sure-footed that it demands complete attention.

The sunroom overlooks the back gardens ...