Summary of Achievements for the period 2000 - 2001 Western Economic Diversification (WD)

Regional Initiatives:

Year 2000/01 marked the first year of the new Action Plan 2000-01 to 2003-04. The year demonstrated many results for Western Economic Diversification. Each region actively worked with their Francophone Economic Development Organization (FEDOs) and developed operational strategies. The FEDOs received informal funding to maintain operations and initiatives to further Francophone economic development while we waited for the approval of their formal inception to the Western Canada Business Service Network (WCBSN).

The four FEDOs with whom WD works actively with are: Société de développement économique de la Colombie-Britannique, La Chambre économique de l'Alberta, Le Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan, and Le Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba. Through WD's informal funding, these organizations were able to provide enhanced services to Francophones, including training, business development, counselling, and marketing opportunities, not currently provided by other business service centers.

During the 2000/01-year, agreements for the creation of Special Economic Development Initiative (SEDI) funds at the regional and Pan Western level, as well as a loan loss reserve were underway for all four regions. They would receive approval in the 2001/02-year. Alberta region was engaged in two Special Economic Development Initiatives in the 2000/01-year. La Faculté St Jean improved their technological capabilities, and La Société Chant Ouest organized business development gatherings for Francophone culture in the West. All other regions began approving SEDI funding in 2001/02.

WD continued to participate actively in a number of Official Languages Sub-Committees of the Councils of Senior Federal Officials (where these exist) and in other like organizations. Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia WD regional offices were actively engaged in discussions with the regional groups, WD Alberta strengthened its involvement with the local group through continuous dialogue with stakeholders and interdepartmental efforts.

In the spirit of collaboration and partnership, WD participated in formal consultation meetings between the Francophone community and federal departments/agencies on the implementation of Section 41 of the OLA, in annual general meetings of key representative organizations, and consulted with provincial counterparts on a regular basis. The department continued to work with Network Partners, including the provincial Francophone Economic Development Organizations, to deliver small business seminars to francophone clients. Sessions ranged from topics such as E-Commerce, business planning, market research and marketing, financing, and selling to the government.

WD maintained contact with department of Canadian Heritage to negotiate an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Interdepartmental Partnership with the Official-Language Communities (IPOLC) program. The program provides matching funding from Canadian Heritage to encourage 10-targeted federal organizations to support official-language minority communities by solidifying existing relationships and creating new partnerships and new methods of cooperation.

WD was also at the table actively participating in numerous meetings of the National Committee on Human Resources Development of the Canadian Francophonie and of the National Coordinators of Section 41 throughout the year. In addition, WD actively attended conferences related to the official languages minority community. All regions actively engaged in discussions and attended meetings with their regional economic development organizations throughout the year. Examples of these gatherings are la Chambre de commerce francophone de Saint-Boniface, la Société franco-manitobaine, Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise (ACF), La Chambre économique de l'Alberta, Le conseil des présidents et présidentes and the Concertation meeting organised by Heritage Canada, the official launch of the new francophone economic association in Victoria, and the meeting with a French delegation with the French Consul General.

Numerous projects were undertaken and completed in Manitoba, notably the first Community Service Centre in St. Boniface, others slated for opening are the Centre in Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes and in Saint-Pierre-Jolys, The Maison du Bourgeois was scheduled for construction in 2001/02, and the Community Development Corporation revitalized the small business sector along Provencher Boulevard in Saint-Boniface and transform the business area into an identifiable francophone center.

National or Pan Western Initiatives:

In 2000/01, WD started the process of integrating the four Francophone Economic Development Organizations in the West (i.e. Société de développement économique de la Colombie-Britannique [SDECB], Chambre économique de l'Alberta [CÉA], Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan [CCS], Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba [CDÉM]) into WD's Western Service Delivery Network. The announcement by the Secretary of State was made on April 18, 2001, stating the Francophone Economic Development Organizations (FEDOs) would be official members of the Western Canada Business Service Network (WCBSN). Operational funding would be approved to support the FEDOs over the next three years, beginning in 2001/02.

In order to enhance the relationship between the Western Canada Business Service Network partners and the provincial Francophone Economic Development Organizations, the regions held a number of meetings and discussions including the establishment of a Service Delivery Network Partners committee in Manitoba, establishing referral protocols in Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC among network partners.

As part of WD's ongoing commitments to support the Francophone community's priorities, the department supported Le Corridor touristique francophone de l'Ouest (CTFO). The partnership among the FEDOs is to develop and establish this corridor and holds the mandate to development and market a pan-western francophone tourism action plan based on the "tourism corridors" concept and eventually linked to a pan-Canadian Route de la francophonie. WD contributed funding of $558,132 to support this initiative over a period of three years ending March 31, 2001. However, the project has been extended into 2001-2002 to complete the initial phase of the project with existing approved funding.

In addition, WD supported financially and participated actively in various economic development and entrepreneurship events throughout the year. Le Mondiale de l'entrepreneuriat was financially supported by a $25,000 contribution and was attended by a WD-Alta Client Service representative in 2000/01. Saskatchewan WD sponsored and had a booth at Le Forum économique in February 2001 in Regina. Client Service Officers also worked jointly with Le Conseil de développement économique to provide orientation training as our new FEDO partners for the next fiscal year. In Alberta, WD sponsored and had a booth at Le Forum économique de l'Alberta in March 2001 in Edmonton. Each of these events were instrumental in bringing together SMEs and service providers to inform on business practices, programs, services available, and provided excellent networking opportunities.

Interdepartmental Coordination:

WD is an active member of the National Committee on Human Resources Development of the Canadian Francophonie, whose mandate is to influence the policies, programs and services of the nine federal partners so that they foster the development and enhance the vitality of the Official Language Minority Communities. WD supported the four sector working groups of the Committee this year through the involvement with events such as Les Lauriers de la PME, a contest of Francophone SMEs across Canada. The contest highlighted entrepreneurs in the following sectors: tourism, rural development, the knowledge economy, and Youth integration into entrepreneurship. WD contributed $35,000 towards the contest promotions, the planning and the logistics of the event. Businesses from Western Canada won awards in the categories of Tourism and Youth integration into entrepreneurship. The National Coordinator was active throughout the year in the continuation of the work plan development of new initiatives to further Section 41 and the involvement of the official language minority community in economic development activities.

WD staff had also worked with the Council of Senior Federal Officials in each western province to develop collaboration mechanisms such as memoranda of understandings adapted to the circumstances in each province. The governments of Canada & Manitoba established agreements with their Francophone communities in 2000. In Alberta, a tripartite agreement had been in place since 1999. The Province of Saskatchewan was currently negotiating its agreement and BC was in the midst of verifying whether an agreement could be established.

Communications:

WD's Action Plan was posted in both official languages to the departmental website (www.wd.gc.ca), and was distributed in hard copy to minority official language groups and associations in western Canada, as well as to selected national groups. The Action Plan was also provided to the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Commissioner of Official Languages, the National Committee on Human Resources Development of the Canadian Francophonie and federal economic departments/agencies and all other relevant organizations.

In regards to electronic medium, WD ensured all federal government informational/reference material available to entrepreneurs and SMEs through WD's Western Canada Business Service Network are developed, produced and simultaneously available in both official languages. The goal of having English and French mirrored on any page of the website was met in January 2001.

Media advertising of WD products/services/ events is one of the methods to reach Western Canadian entrepreneurs. In 2000/01, western Canadian Francophone media was used to promote events targeted to French speaking clients. WD worked with the Francophone community to raise interest and participation in departmental events. WD Manitoba advertised all training workshops offered in the French language in La Liberté French language weekly through the newspaper La Liberté. In Saskatchewan WD advertised in L'Eau Vive newspaper for La Fête Fransaskoise, Le Forum Economique, La Semaine de Francophonie, and also included Small Business Week publications. WD Saskatchewan also placed ads in Le Partenaire, a newsletter issued by the FEDO and the Fransaskois Internet Directory. WD Alberta Communications made it a practice to ensure events, sessions, and news advertised in English was balanced with the equivalent French advertising. WD-Alberta advertised WD events/products/services when appropriate in Le Franco and Le Chinook. Alberta region also had placements in francophone publications such as Expert 2001. In BC, WD advertised in the two main written publications: L'Express du Pacifique and Community Digest and with Radio-Canada. WD, with the participation of the FEDO and the Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture, created 4 publications entitled "Solutions pour les petites enterprises".

In addition to print media, WD used "radios communautaires francophones" to inform francophone listeners about WD programs and activities. Most regions rarely used radio advertising except for the public service announcements. However, all Press Releases or advertising was distributed to the French media simultaneously with English versions. Radio Canada receives the press releases at the same as their counterparts in newspapers and television. From those Press releases, they have made the occasional announcement on the radio as a news item, garnering ad hoc radio coverage. WD-Manitoba hosts a weekly radio program: C'est de vos affaires ! on the community radio station Envol 91FM. In 2000-2001, the radio program featured information on WD programs and services as well as services provided by the Women's Enterprise Centre, the Canada Manitoba Business Service Centre, the Business Development Centre and Manitoba's FEDO, le Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues. The program had also featured 17 entrepreneurs in various sectors of the economy.

WD maintained a bank of "success stories" relating to francophone SMEs and entrepreneurs. Regional offices across the West kept a "BEST stories" binder of small and medium sized enterprises from WD and from FEDOs, describing the success stories of clients. These projects were specifically targeting the needs of Francophone communities. WD made available for publication in regional French language community newspapers, success stories relating to WD activity in implementing Section 41 of the OLA. Each region will endeavour to cover a success story in the French language media in 2001-2002 by working more closely with the FEDOs. In Saskatchewan the FEDO issues a newsletter called "Le Partenaire" which profiles several success stories. Through the FEDO partner, BC received success stories through "La Capsule économique", a major success story was a BC winner in tourism for the Lauriers de la PME competition. A few other finalists at the contest were also clients of WD or the FEDOs. All of them were highlighted in Le comité national's news brief in March of 2001.

WD submitted articles and "snippets" of information throughout the year to the Department of Canadian Heritage for inclusion in their quarterly publication Bulletin 41-42, a newsletter relating to the federal government's implementation of Sections 41-42 of the Official Languages Act. In the January to March 2001 issue, Bulletin 41-42 highlighted the previous year's accomplishment of WD as a leader in OLA and Section 41.

Institutional Planning and Accountability:

The department is committed to the Official Languages Act and to Section 41 and therefore included initiatives that foster the development of official language minority communities (OLMCs) in western Canada as part of the departmental Corporate Business Planning processes. As quoted in the Report on Plans and Priorities 2000/01: "WD will continue to address the needs of SMEs and entrepreneurs through the more than 100 offices of the Western Canada Business Service Network (WCBSN) which includes WD Client Service Branches, Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs), Womens' Enterprise Initiatives (WEIs), Francophone economic development organizations, and the Canada Business Services Centres (CBSCs)."… The inclusion of FEDOs as a partner under the Service Delivery Network was a demonstration of WD's commitment and inclusive approach to advancing the economic development of Francophone communities.

As part of awareness building and capacity building, WD examined new ways to inform its employees and partners of its commitments under the OLA legislation by using tools such as the Intranet and Access West. The department celebrated its achievements by communicating OLA success stories internally as well as identifying areas for improvements. This was achieved through pan western information sessions involving representatives of the Commissioner of Official Languages. In addition, human resources have been added to the compliment of existing capabilities. Manitoba had hired a new bilingual client service officer. BC hired 2 bilingual client service officers and was in process of hiring a second bilingual receptionist at the time of reporting. Alberta region hired a number of bilingual staff to address client service and program development needs.

Communications between WD Regional Section 41 Coordinators, their respective Regional Management Committees, the Departmental Section 41 Coordinator, the Departmental OLA Champion and the Deputy Minister occurred on an ongoing basis. Progress-reporting sessions were held to enhance accountability monitoring from all dimensions. A Regional Section 41 Coordinators and National Coordinator meeting was held in February 2001. The same week, a meeting among the FEDOs and the WD was held to discuss the upcoming FEDO inception into the Western Canada Business Service Network. In addition, the National Coordinator met regularly with the Deputy Minister and with the OLA Champion, the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Ottawa office to keep them abreast of activities and progress made on the OLA files.

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