ENGLISHTOWN, Nova Scotia, July 7, 2008 - Canadians across the country will soon be able to access Cape Breton Island's rich cultural heritage online, thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada.
Gerald Keddy, Member of Parliament (South Shore-St. Margaret's), today announced, on behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages and Minister for La Francophonie, funding for Cape Breton's Magazine Centre for Documentary Fields Studies.
Cape Breton's Magazine Centre for Documentary Fields Studies will receive $105,100 in funding to digitize and post its entire run of issues from 1971 to 1999 on the Web. Its project, Read Cape Breton Online, will allow all Canadians to access over 5000 pages of stories, interviews, folklore, songs, and poetry about the multicultural heritage of Cape Breton Island. The site will also include interactive activities for students and the general reader.
"The Government of Canada is proud to support projects that showcase the richness and the diversity of our culture and heritage," said Minister Verner. "By digitizing its issues and putting them on the Web, Cape Breton's Magazine will be able to share the island's heritage with Canadians across the country."
"Projects such as this underscore the potential of the Internet to give Canadians greater access to our culture," said Mr. Keddy. "I am proud that our Government is contributing to the success of a project that will enable all Canadians, regardless of geographic location, to access the rich culture and history of Cape Breton Island."
"I deeply appreciate this vote of confidence in the lasting value of Cape Breton's Magazine, by not only the Government of Canada but also by our partners, the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board and Nova Scotia Archive and Records Management," said Ronald Caplan, Editor of Cape Breton's Magazine.
The Government of Canada has provided this financial assistance through the Partnerships Fund, a component of the Department of Canadian Heritage's Canadian Culture Online strategy. This program strives to increase the amount of quality Canadian cultural content on the Internet and engages Canadians to use the content and share their perspectives on Canadian events, people, and values.
Information :
Dominic Gosselin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage,
Status of Women and Official Languages and Minister for La Francophonie
819 997-7788
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
1 866 569-6155
