January 26, 2004

Honourable Christy Clark
Minister of Children and Family Development

Dear Colleague:

Since June 2001, our government has been working to implement our New Era vision to revitalize the economy, restore sound fiscal management, and put patients and students first.

Our New Era platform contained 201 specific commitments that our government would undertake on behalf of British Columbians. These included a commitment to "establish service plans that include measurable performance standards and targets for all programs that are annually audited and published, for all taxpayers to see."

On June 25, 2001, I sent your predecessor a letter of instruction setting out the key priorities for your Ministry, including a list of the New Era commitments assigned to your Ministry. These commitments were also included in the Government Strategic Plan and Ministry Service Plans that were tabled in the Legislature in February 2002, covering fiscal years 2002/03 through 2004/05.

The Service Plan you are tabling today represents the final year of the first three-year plans. And it shows that we have made significant progress toward honouring our commitments. Specifically, of the eight New Era commitments that involved your Ministry, the province has now completed or begun work on all of these. Accomplishments in your Ministry over the past two-and-a-half years include:

• Initiated planning for community-based service delivery, to help parents, families and communities keep children and vulnerable adults in safe, healthy environments.
• Developed Canada's first Child and Youth Mental Health Plan.
• Signed an historic Memorandum of Understanding between the Province and Aboriginal leaders which will allow Aboriginal children to be protected, to grow up and flourish in their own culture without being removed from their families, communities and culture.

In the coming year, the province will continue work on a number of priorities to honour the commitments that we have made. These are detailed in your Ministry Service Plan, and include:

• Transform service delivery for community living services to develop more socially inclusive arrangements and to increase choice and flexibility in service delivery for adults with developmental disabilities and families of children with special needs.
• Transform child welfare services and practices to provide a range of family and community based out-of-care responses and options that continue to protect vulnerable children and youth safety and well-being.
• Implement effective, accountable, community-based governance models for community living and for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal child and family services.

It is important to note that all of the province's achievements to date, and our priorities for the year ahead, will be accomplished while balancing the budget in 2004/05, and having significantly increased funding for health care and education.

Clearly, we will do more if we can, as new resources are available, to build on the funding priorities detailed in this Service Plan – in a way that is consistent with our balanced budget commitment.

As our measures to revitalize the economy continue to create new jobs, growth and investment, this will allow us to continue strengthening public services for the benefit of British Columbians. Opportunities like the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will showcase British Columbia to the world and generate economic benefits all across our province. Future service plans will further demonstrate those benefits.

I know that you will continue to build on the progress your Ministry has made. Let me conclude by thanking you for your commitment to serving the best interests of all British Columbians.

Yours sincerely,

Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier

January 26, 2004

Honourable Linda Reid
Minister of State for Early Childhood Development

Dear Colleague:

Since June 2001, our government has been working to implement our New Era vision to revitalize the economy, restore sound fiscal management, and put patients and students first.

Our New Era platform contained 201 specific commitments that our government would undertake on behalf of British Columbians. These included a commitment to "establish service plans that include measurable performance standards and targets for all programs that are annually audited and published, for all taxpayers to see."

On June 25, 2001, I sent you a letter of instruction setting out the key priorities for your Ministry, including a list of the New Era commitments assigned to your Ministry. These commitments were also included in the Government Strategic Plan and Ministry Service Plans that were tabled in the Legislature in February 2002, covering fiscal years 2002/03 through 2004/05.

The Service Plan tabled today represents the final year of the first three-year plans. And it shows that we have made significant progress toward honouring our commitments. Your accomplishments over the past two-and-a-half years include:

• Since June 2001, increased investment in Early Childhood Development by $50 million for a total of $348 million.
• Released Canada's first, comprehensive strategic plan to combat Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, bringing together the resources of seven provincial ministries and three federal agencies.
• Expanded services to increase the number of children receiving early intervention and support for Autism Spectrum Disorder by seven times.

In the coming year, the province will continue work on a number of priorities to honour the commitments that we have made. These are detailed in your Ministry Service Plan, and include:

• Increase public awareness of the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and risks of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
• Complete the service delivery redesign of Supported Child Care programming.
• Work to eliminate the wait lists for supported child care for children up to six years of age.
• Coordinate all cross government initiatives on Autism Spectrum Disorder.

It is important to note that all of the province's achievements to date, and our priorities for the year ahead, will be accomplished while balancing the budget in 2004/05, and having significantly increased funding for health care and education.

Clearly, we will do more if we can, as new resources are available, to build on the funding priorities detailed in this Service Plan – in a way that is consistent with our balanced budget commitment.

As our measures to revitalize the economy continue to create new jobs, growth and investment, this will allow us to continue strengthening public services for the benefit of British Columbians. Opportunities like the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will showcase British Columbia to the world and generate economic benefits all across our province. Future service plans will further demonstrate those benefits.

I know that you will continue to build on the progress you have made. Let me conclude by thanking you for your commitment to serving the best interests of all British Columbians.

Yours sincerely,

Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier

Province of British Columbia Office of the Premier www.gov.bc.ca		Box 9041 Stn Prov Govt. Victoria, B.C. V8W 9E1