ST. JOHN'S, December 19, 2007 - On behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, the Honourable Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Member of Parliament (St. John's South-Mount Pearl), today announced funding for three Newfoundland and Labrador publishers.
Funding of $209,285--$74,938 for Breakwater Books, $56,745 for Creative Book Publishing, and $77,602 for Flanker Press--will enable the publishers to expand their promotional activities, reach new markets, and increase financial viability.
"The Government of Canada is proud to support the efforts of these Newfoundland and Labrador publishers to offer readers in Canada and abroad a wide range of high-quality books," said Minister Verner. "It is important that we support our authors and publishers, eloquent symbols of our cultural vitality."
"It is important that citizens from our wonderful part of the country, young and old, see something of themselves when they open a book," said Minister Hearn. "This is why I am proud that our Government is supporting the efforts of these Canadian publishers."
"We are very pleased once again to learn that Flanker Press Ltd. will be receiving financial support from the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program," said Garry Cranford, Publisher, Flanker Press. "This financial support is essential to Flanker Press Ltd. in providing publishing opportunities for Canadian writers, especially writers in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and in Atlantic Canada. The Department of Canadian Heritage, in supporting Flanker Press, has been critical to the firm's growth in terms of annual book production and increased staffing, and permitted it to develop strong marketing campaigns for our authors throughout Atlantic Canada and beyond."
The Government of Canada has provided this funding under the Aid to Publishers component of the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program seeks to strengthen the capacity of the Canadian-owned and -controlled sector of the industry to publish and market Canadian books in both domestic and international markets.
Information:Dominic Gosselin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages
819 997-7788
Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
