WINNIPEG, August 30, 2010 - The Honourable Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba, and, on behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Shelly Glover, Parliamentary Secretary for Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Member of Parliament (Saint Boniface), today announced the signing of two agreements on official languages.
"The official signing of these agreements shows my commitment and that of my government to implementing French-language services that are well suited to the needs of Manitoba's Francophone community, as well as to providing high-quality French teaching programs for both Francophones and Anglophones," said Premier Selinger. "The Canada-Manitoba Agreements are an excellent example of partnership that contributes to the development of our Francophone and Francophile community, and that will help us advance on the road to success."
"Our Government is a leader on official languages," said Minister Moore. "The agreements we are announcing today are very important for the development of Manitoba's Francophone community and the promotion of Canada's two official languages."
"Our Government is committed to the interests of French-speaking Canadians living in this province," said Mrs. Glover. "These agreements demonstrate concrete support for the community in key sectors. Furthermore, by investing in teaching French as a second language, we are promoting wider knowledge of this language among all Manitoba schoolchildren."
Under an agreement on French first-language education and second-language instruction covering the period from 2009 to 2013, the Government of Canada announced a contribution of $49,260,800. This funding supports the provision of French-language teaching to Manitoba's Francophone community, as well as French second-language instruction. For its part, the Government of Manitoba has also committed to a significant contribution towards French first- and second-language education.
The education agreement is accompanied by a series of projects to support teaching at the preschool, elementary, and post-secondary level. The Government of Canada is providing support for the development of a francization kit for the last three years of elementary school ($381,500 in 2009-2011); the strategic development of the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface ($1,075,000 in 2009-2011); and renovation projects at the Garderie Réal-Bérard ($750,000 in 2009-2011). The Government of Manitoba will support these projects with contributions matching those of the Government of Canada.
Under a second agreement covering the period from 2009 to 2013, the governments of Canada and Manitoba will each provide $5.6 million for the delivery of provincial services in French. This agreement on official languages will assist with the development and implementation of specific measures to support the provincial government in providing services to the Francophone community.
Accompanying the services agreement is a project intended to support the provision of French-language services in bilingual Manitoba municipalities. The governments of Canada ($57,000 in 2010-2011) and Manitoba ($63,000 in 2010-2011) are supporting the implementation of an exchange network for community development organizations in the targeted municipalities.
Part of the funding announced today by the Government of Canada is provided under the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013: Acting for the Future, an unprecedented government-wide investment of $1.1 billion over five years.
The education agreement is an outcome of the renewal of the Protocol for Agreements announced on September 4, 2009, and signed by the Government of Canada and the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, a key partner for federal action in the field of education. The Protocol provides a framework for all bilateral education agreements.
Intergovernmental Cooperation on Minority-Language Services seeks to help provincial and territorial governments provide provincial, territorial, and municipal services--including the necessary infrastructure for this purpose--in the language of the official-language minority community. Shared costs are funded under multi-year cooperation agreements with provincial and territorial governments. Attached to the agreements are multi-year action plans.
Agreements between the Government of Canada and communities, provinces, and territories under the Official Languages Support Programs are available at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca
Matthew Deacon
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
and Official Languages
819-997-7788
matthew.deacon@pch.gc.ca
Joëlle Saltel-Allard
Press Secretary
Cabinet Communications Manitoba
204-945-1494
Joelle.saltelallard@leg.gov.mb.ca
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca
