NEWS RELEASES

August 26, 2005 (10:30 a.m. EDT)
No. 155

ST. BONIFACE TO HOST LA FRANCOPHONIE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE IN SPRING 2006

Jacques Saada, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec and Minister responsible for La Francophonie, today announced that St. Boniface, Manitoba, will host a La Francophonie ministerial conference in the spring of 2006 on conflict prevention and human security. Mr. Saada made the announcement alongside Treasury Board President Reg Alcock and St. Boniface MP Raymond Simard.

“As Canadians, we must act beyond our borders to protect and promote our values and interests, and actively support peoples seeking freedom, stability, democracy and, above all, a better life,” said Mr. Saada.

The conference, which will bring together foreign affairs ministers of La Francophonie, confirms La Francophonie’s commitment to implementing and developing democracy, preventing conflicts and supporting human rights and the rule of law. The objectives of the meeting are to promote La Francophonie’s conflict-prevention activities and to contribute to the human security debate.

Proposed by Prime Minister Paul Martin at the Francophonie Summit held in Burkina Faso in November 2004, this conference is in keeping with the identification in Canada’s International Policy Statement of La Francophonie as one of the multilateral organizations in which Canada intends to advance its international human security agenda.

Founded in 1970, the International Organization of La Francophonie today has 49 member states and participating governments, four associate states and 10 observer states.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Daniel Dezainde
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec and Minister responsible for La Francophonie
(613) 944-1291
(514) 496-1282

Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca