SHIPPAGAN, New Brunswick, March 28, 2008 - There will be new momentum in various sectors affecting the Francophone community in New Brunswick, as well as an opportunity to strengthen important Acadian institutions, thanks to an investmen nt by the Government of Canada.
On behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, Pierre Lemieux, Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages and Member of Parliament (G lengarry-Prescott-Russell), today announced funding for major initiatives involving official-language minority communities in New Brunswick.
Funding of $946,100 will allow ten Francophone organizations to pursue activities to promote Francop hone and Acadian communities in New Brunswick and linguistic duality across Canada. Funds will support the following organizations:
- Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick
- Conseil pro vincial des sociétés culturelles
- Société Nationale de l'Acadie
- Fédération des jeunes francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick
- Société des Acadiens et Acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick
- Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick
- Mouvement acadien des communautés en santé du Nouveau-Brunswick
- Institut canadien de recherche en politiq ues et administration publique
- Société des Jeux de l'Acadie
- FrancoFête en Acadie
"The Government of Canada is pleased to support the development of official-language minority communi ties," said Minister Verner. "The projects announced today will enhance New Brunswick's cultural vitality and enrich its Francophone community, while strengthening the fundamental structures of the Acadian society."
"Our Government is demonst rating its commitment to the vitality of the Francophone and Acadian community in New Brunswick," said Mr. Lemieux. "These organizations help important areas of the Francophone and Acadian community in New Brunswick: youth, health, arts and culture, gover nance, and Acadian identity."
"Funding received from the Strategic Fund has enabled the Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick (AAAPNB) to support the États generaux des arts et de la culture and El oizes events, two major projects that recognize both the artists, their creations, and their contributions, as well as the development of Acadia," said AAAPNB Director General Carmen Gibbs. "We welcome any initiative by the Department of Canadian Heritage to eliminate administrative barriers for the Acadian people."
Funding for these projects will come from the $30 million in additional funding, over two years, announced by the Government of Canada, in the 2007 Budget, to support official-lan guage minority communities and linguistic duality. For a detailed list of organizations in New Brunswick that will benefit from this funding, please see the attached fact sheet.
Information : Dominic Gos selin
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
BACKGROUNDER The Government of Canada has provided financial support to the following organizations under the Department of Canadian Heritage's Official Languages Support Program. To learn more about this program , please visit our website at
www.canadianheritage.gc.ca .
The Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick will receive $225,000. In 2007-2008, $65,000 will be provide d to organize Le Gala des Éloizes, an annual public activity to recognize professional artists in the Atlantic Region. It will receive $170,000 ($100,000 in 2007-2008 and $70 000 in 2008-2009) to help implement the recommendations arising from the arts and culture summit known as the Grand rassemblement des États généraux des arts et de la culture dans la société acadienne au Nouveau-Brunswick.
The Conseil provincial des sociétés cultu relles will receive $134,200 ($55,000 in 2007-2008 and $79,200 in 2008-2009) for three preparatory phases of research work focussing on cultural landscaping: research planning, training, and evaluation.
The Société Nationale de l'Acadie will receive $111,000 ($75,000 in 2007-2008 and $36,000 in 2008-2009) to conduct the second phase of a strategic repositioning project to enable it to meet the expectations of the Acadie of today.
The Fédération des je unes francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick will receive $109,000 for its project C'est MA ! Communauté ($39,000 will be provided in 2007-2008 and $70,000 in 2008-2009). The project is designed to develop youth participation mechanisms and provide acti ve support for the involvement of young people in Francophone communities and school-community centres in the Atlantic Region and across Canada.
La Société des Acadiens et Acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick (SAANB) will receive
$96,000 over two years--2007-2008 and 2008-2009--to implement a new system with a view to increasing citizen participation in New Brunswick.
The Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick will receive $66,000 in 2008-2009 to support municipalities and local service districts with respect to their participation in the local governance reform process and to create an Atlantic network of Francophone and bilingual municipalities within the Federation of Canadian Mun icipalities.
The Mouvement acadien des communautés en santé du Nouveau-Brunswick will receive $64,000 in 2007-2008 for its project to promote community well-being, which will involve adding a health and well-being component to its website.
L'Institut canadien de recherche en politiques et administration publique will receive $59,000 in 2007-2008 to translate the book, From Migrant to Acadian, and to organize a day of reflection on the issues and challenges related to bringing together both of Canada's linguistic communities.
La Société des Jeux de l'Acadie will receive $47,400 to support the three following projects:
- $10,000 in 2007-2008 for the production of a book that will focus on the evolution of sports in Acadie since the 17th century on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Games
- $5,000 in 2007-2008 and $3,600 dollars in 2008-2009 to organize promotional activities aimed at increasing yout h participation in the Académie jeunesse
- $18,000 in 2007-2008 and $10,800 dollars in 2008-2009 to create an online registration system for athletes and volunteers
The FrancoFête en Acadie will receive $24 ,500 in 2007-2008 to prepare a three-year communications plan aimed at ensuring the sustainability of FrancoFête en Acadie.
