OSHAWA, Ontario, May 23, 2008 - The French-speaking community in the Durham-Peterborough area will receive increased services in French thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada.
Dr. Colin Carrie, Member of Parliament (Oshawa), on behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, today announced funding for the Assemblée des communautés francophones de l'Ontario, Durham-Peterborough (ACFO-DP).
Funding of $27,000 will help the organization carry out its activities, including improving the network of available French-language services in various sectors in the regions of Durham and Peterborough. This funding will also help the organization provide services to Francophone ethnocultural minorities.
"I commend the Assemblée des communautés francophones de l'Ontario on its work to provide more French services to Francophones living in the Durham-Peterborough region," said Minister Verner. "The Government of Canada is committed to enhancing the vitality of English and French minority-language communities."
"I am pleased that our Government is supporting this project, which will enable the Francophone community in the Durham-Peterborough area to enjoy a wider range of services in French," said Dr. Carrie.
"The Assemblée des communautés francophones, Durham-Peterborough would like to thank Canadian Heritage for its financial support," said Robert Fillion, Chair of the ACFO-DP. "These funds are being used to work toward our main objectives: obtaining bilingual designation for the City of Oshawa, identifying French-speaking ethnic minorities, continuing the ambassadors of the Franco-Ontarian flag project, and obtaining health services in French for the Durham-Peterborough region."
The goal of the Association des communautés francophones, Durham-Peterborough is to support the development, review, and implementation of programs that will enhance the cultural, religious, educational, socio-economic, and political well-being of Francophones in the region. Established and incorporated in 1989, the ACFO-DP serves a French-speaking population of between 10 000 and 30 000 people in the counties of Durham, Peterborough, Haliburton, Northumberland, and Victoria.
Funding is provided by the Department of Canadian Heritage under the Development of Official-Language Communities program. This program seeks to foster the vitality of Canada's English- and French-speaking minorities, and to help them take full part in all aspects of Canadian life.
Information:
Dominic Gosselin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage,
Status of Women and Official Languages
819 997-7788
Maya Kane
Manager of Regional Communications
Ontario Region
Canadian Heritage
416 954-6615
Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
