TIMMINS, Ontario, August 27, 2009 - On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Shelly Glover, Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages and Member of Parliament (Saint Boniface), today announced funding for four organizations that provide social services, health services, and cultural and recreational activities to Francophones in the Northeastern Ontario communities of Timmins, Cochrane and Kirkland Lake.
"Our Government recognizes the importance of both of our country's official languages as an economical, social, and cultural asset for all Canadians, and we are taking concrete action to promote and protect them," said Minister Moore.
"I am pleased to announce funding for Francophone organizations that help promote the linguistic and cultural diversity of Northeastern Ontario," said Mrs. Glover. "We are proud to support Francophone organizations in Ontario that contribute to the well-being of our official-language minority communities."
The Government of Canada has provided funding a total of $226,900 to four Franco-Ontario organizations under the
Community Life component of the
Development of Official-Language Communities Program . This program of the Department of Canadian Heritage aims to foster the development of Canada's minority Anglophone and Francophone communities and enable them to participate fully in all aspects of Canadian life.
Like the
Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013: Acting for the Future , support for these organizations reiterates the Government of Canada's commitment to linguistic duality and the vitality of official-language minority communities. The Roadmap is an unprecedented government-wide investment of $1.1 billon over five years.
This year also marks the 40 th anniversary of the adoption of Canada's first Official Languages Act .
For more information about the organizations receiving funding, see the attached backgrounder.
Stephanie Rea
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
819-997-7788
stephanie.rea@pch.gc.ca Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca
