Following a meeting with Senator Pearson on May 28th, 2003, as well as a workshop with Andrea Khan, from Senator Pearson's office, and Cecilia Van Egmond from Health Canada, and two reviews by the Alliance membership, the National Children's Alliance has prepared recommendations for Canada's National Plan of Action for Children.
Excerpts form paper:
At the United Nations General Assembly's Special Session on Children in May 2002, the Government of Canada committed to a time-bound set of goals and framework to "make the world fit for children". This is an ambitious undertaking with (among other things) promises to put children first, eradicate poverty, care for every child, and leave no child behind.
Canada is now developing its National Plan of Action to create a better world for children in the next decade. This Plan must be visionary and concrete. It should also be bold. There are challenges to attaining a world fit for children including jurisdictional barriers, provincial/territorial disparities, the devolution of federal responsibilities, societal barriers, and the disengagement of civil society.