OTTAWA, July 7, 2005 – Reg Alcock, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada (the Agency), today announced funding in the amount of $2.8 million as part of the Official Languages Innovation Program. Funding is being allocated through the program’s Innovation Fund and Regional Partnerships Fund to over 30 projects aimed at strengthening bilingualism in federal institutions.
"This initiative demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to strengthening the Official Languages Program in the Public Service," said Minister Alcock. “Through these investments, federal institutions will be able to improve their ability to provide service to the public in both official languages and create a workplace that is conducive to the use of English and French.”
The Innovation Program has been allocated $14 million over a five-year period which began in 2003-2004. In addition to improving service to the public, program projects are designed to promote and strengthen the Official Languages Program within the federal Public Service and facilitate the change in organizational culture within federal institutions.
The approved projects are submitted by federal departments and agencies, as well as federal regional councils. They cover such wide-ranging areas as service delivery, organizational culture and recruitment.
“The scope of the projects submitted to the Innovation Program exemplifies the public service’s dedication to a bilingual work environment, added Mauril Bélanger, Minister responsible for Official Languages.”
Fifty-two proposals were received and reviewed by a steering committee made up of representatives of the Agency, as well as official languages champions from federal institutions and federal regional councils. The approved projects must be completed by March 31 of the fiscal year following their approval.
The Innovation Program is part of the initiatives announced under the five-year
Action Plan for Official
Languages, of which one objective is to ensure that the Public Service is a model of linguistic duality in Canada.
A backgrounder listing the projects announced today is attached. For more information on the Innovation Program, please visit
http://www.hrma-agrh.gc.ca/ollo/innovation/index_e.asp
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For more information, please contact:
Lise Jolicoeur
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
(613) 957-2666 |
Pierre Marquis
Media Relations
Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada
(613) 957-2674 |
IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
This news release is available on-line at www.hrma-agrh.gc.ca
[ Backgrounder ]
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