The federal government negotiated a very historic and important nation to nation agreement in 2018 called the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework (IELCC). This Framework sets out a shared vision, principles and an Indigenous governed path forward for Indigenous early learning and child care— where their children have the opportunity to experience culturally rooted, quality early learning and child care programming. Budget 2021 provides additional funding to current federal funding for the implementation of the IELCC. This is incredibly important—essential—for reconciliation and self-determination.  From Budget 2021:  “Budget 2021 builds on this framework, and on recent investments in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, to continue the progress towards an early learning and child care system that meets the needs of Indigenous families, wherever they live. A proposed investment of $2.5 billion over the next five years in Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care will include: $1.4 billion over five years, starting in 2021-22, and $385 million ongoing, to ensure that more Indigenous families have access to high-quality programming. Guided by Indigenous priorities and distinctions-based envelopes, this investment will build Indigenous governance capacity and allow providers to offer more flexible and full-time hours of care, build, train and retain a skilled workforce, and create up to 3,300 new spaces. This will include new investments in Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities.”