Chronicle 2019

By Alexandra Brickman 2010

M argaret Norrie McCain has spent her life advocating for a strong investment in public education, convinced that it is instrumental to the long-term success of Canadians. She has made it her mission to improve the public school system and to bridge the quality gap between public and private education starting at the preschool level. While Margaret feels happy, honoured and privileged that she and her granddaughters have attended Havergal, she knows that the vast majority of families rely on the public school system and are never exposed to the kinds of resources and opportunities that schools such as Havergal can provide. “The bedrock of our country is the strength and quality of our public school system. A certain quality of education needs to be universal and available to all children, across the socio-economic spectrum,” Margaret says. Margaret’s interest in early childhood development began in the 1980s at a time when family violence and its impact on children were gaining more exposure. With a degree in social work under her belt, Margaret became an advocate and spokesperson for the issue. Since her term as lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick, Margaret dedicated much of her career to improving public education through both private support and the work of the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation. In the late 1990s, alongside Canadian doctor and early childhood specialist Dr. Fraser Mustard, she co- chaired the Early Years Study, which identified social impediments to healthy child development – one of

the biggest being family violence. The report strongly encouraged the Ontario government to focus more resources on high-quality programming for preschool children. “We know from the study that the foundations of learning and literacy are made in the first 2,000 days of life. So, it doesn’t only impact behaviour; it also impacts learning capability and long-term health, both mentally and physically.” The Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation continues to carry on the work of the original Early Years Study, with subsequent editions released in 2007 and 2011 and another to be published this year. “Most parents today are in the workforce, and the child care available is a patchwork quilt – all over the map in terms of quality and quantity. We don’t want a situation where privileged kids get good- quality preschool while less privileged kids get poor quality if anything at all. We are trying to equalize opportunities, and we feel the best way to do that is through the public education system, by building education downward to capture children at the age of preschool entry.” Margaret has dedicated her life to looking beyond the advantages of her own education and background to recognize a bigger picture. She has challenged the education and child-care systems that leave some children behind and has demonstrated the critical importance of a strong public investment in Canada’s youngest citizens. She has taken the long view, understanding that a child who is given a good start is much more likely to have a productive and happy life.

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PHOTO: BRIAN NOPPÈ PHOTOGRAPHY