Sheila Copps Announces Creation of Targeted Funding Envelope for Minority-Language Education
WINNIPEG, March 13, 2003 -- Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps, speaking before students of Collège Louis-Riel, today announced important measures to support education efforts for students in Canada's official-language communities in minority situations. Also present at the event were President of the Privy Council, Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister Responsible for Official Languages Stéphane Dion and Member of Parliament (Saint Boniface) Raymond Simard."We have a duty to help our young people develop their potential. Today, with these additional measures, we are intensifying our efforts to ensure that young Francophones and Anglophones living in minority situations receive an education that matches their talents and ambitions. Their communities are sure to be enriched by this," said Minister Copps.
"Official-language education for communities in minority situations is central to the Government of Canada's action plan for official languages," said Minister Dion. "The new measures announced and the objectives set today will help build strong official-language communities in minority situations."
Close to $209 million over a five-year period will be allocated for the new measures. The investment is in addition to amounts transferred annually to the provinces and territories for education in the language of the minority.
The additional official-language education measures have the following objectives:
- to raise the proportion of eligible students enrolled in Francophone schools to 80 percent within the next 10 years (up from 68 percent in 2001)
- to improve access to post-secondary education in French
- to enhance the quality of education in the official-language in a minority situation
- to implement strategies to integrate and retain students attending institutions in the official-language in a minority situation, particularly at the secondary level
- to increase the educational possibilities for young people, particularly by creating and strengthening the distance education network and improving teaching programs in Quebec
The Minister also took the opportunity to announce additional financial support of $33.5 million for the development of official-language communities in minority situations.
Of this amount, $14.5 million will be used to improve and develop provincial and territorial official-language services under the Promotion of Official Languages Program, and $19 million to upgrade the Official Language Community Organizations and Institutions Program.
This announcement is in line with the Government of Canada's Action Plan for Official Languages.
Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2003 federal budget.
Information:
Sonya-Kim St-Julien
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
MINORITY LANGUAGE EDUCATION
Context
The Official Languages in Education Program was initiated in 1970. With a budget of $200.8 million per year, it provides financial assistance to provincial and territorial governments for education in the official-language in a minority situation (English in Quebec and French elsewhere in Canada) and for French and English second-language teaching. In 2001-2002, the Government of Canada provided approximately $158.2 million to the provinces and territories for minority language education under the Program.
Part of the federal assistance is provided under the protocol for agreements signed with the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), representing the provinces and territories. The investment in education initiatives form the other major component of federal assistance for minority language instruction. The yearly allocation of $18 million is intended to support implementation of Francophone school management in minority communities, and to promote post-secondary education in French. It is provided under bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories. The investment in education initiatives terminate in March 2004.
Each year, agreements under the protocol and the investment in education initiatives enable more than 250 000 young people from official-language minority communities to study in their own language, in more than 1000 elementary and secondary schools across Canada.
Summary of new investments
The measures announced today will help create a targeted funding envelope of $209 million over five years for the support of minority language education. This amount is in addition to investments made under the protocol for agreements with the provinces and territories.
The targeted envelope for minority language education is being created with the objective of increasing the number of eligible students enrolled in Francophone minority community school systems from 68 percent to 80 percent by the year 2013.
To achieve this objective, the federal government intends to work together with provincial and territorial governments to:
- increase the quality of minority language education
- improve access to post-secondary education in French
- to implement strategies to integrate and retain students attending institutions in the official-language in a minority situation, particularly at the secondary level
- expand the range of educational options offered to young people by creating and strengthening distance education networks, encouraging closer ties between school and community life, and enhancing education programs, particularly the teaching of French as a second language in Quebec.
A portion of the funds, up to a maximum of 10 percent of the total envelope, will be allocated for administrative purposes.
BACKGROUNDER
PROMOTION OF OFFICIAL LANGUAGES PROGRAM
Context
Created in 1988, the Promotion of Official Languages Program enables the Government of Canada to conclude agreements with interested provincial and territorial governments, for the purpose of fostering the development and delivery of services other than education in the official language in a minority situation. The nine provinces and three territories where English is in the majority now have agreements with Canadian Heritage on the delivery of services in French.
The Promotion of Official Languages Program supports the development and implementation of policy and legislation on services in French in several provinces and territories, and facilitates introduction or enhancement of a wide range of provincial and territorial French-language services other than education, such as health and social services, economic and community development, the administration of justice, etc.
The Program has led to the institution of a yearly conference of Ministers Responsible for Francophone affairs, with the participation of all the provinces and territories, including Quebec as an observer. A forum for government officials responsible for Francophone affairs has also been established to facilitate cooperation on major priorities, sharing of expertise, and maintenance of intergovernmental cooperation in the periods between ministerial conferences.
Summary of new investments
The new funding will be provided under federal-provincial-territorial agreements on minority language services. It represents an increase of $14.5 million over five years (a 22 percent rise). This amount is in addition to investments to be provided by Canadian Heritage over the same period under the same component of the Program, making a total of $81.4 million over five years.
The new funding will be used to support strategic initiatives that will yield tangible results for official-language communities in minority situations, for example:
innovative projects to enhance delivery of services
intergovernmental projects to improve the use of available resources and expertise
projects to expand service delivery at the municipal level
projects to promote French Canadian language and culture
In addition, the Government of Canada will support New Brunswick's implementation of its new legislation on official languages, and will renew its support for federal-provincial-territorial conferences on Francophone affairs.
A portion of the funds, up to a maximum of 10 percent of the total envelope, will be allocated for administrative purposes.
BACKGROUNDER
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM
Context
The Government of Canada has undertaken to foster the development of official-language communities in minority situations (Francophones outside Quebec and Anglophones within Quebec), and views these communities as an asset for Canadian society. This is why, since the 1970's, the Government has contributed to the activities of more than 350 community representation, service and education organizations.
Canadian Heritage's Official Language Community Organizations and Institutions Program has two components: agreements between the Government of Canada and communities, and the Strategic Development Fund.
Since 1994, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has signed agreements between the federal government and each of the provincial and territorial communities, as well as with national Francophone organizations, such as the Société nationale de l'Acadie.
Drawing on their capacity for group action and their community leadership, minority communities are cooperating and setting priorities, which enables them to institute services tailored to their needs, enhance existing services, and maintain and consolidate a network of institutions offering them a cultural, social, legal and economic life in their own language. Most of the communities have adopted a comprehensive development plan.
By promoting greater ownership of community development by the communities themselves, the support of Canadian Heritage over the last 30 years has made it possible to increase the ability of communities to live in their own language.
Hundreds of institutions have been established in the communities:
71 community and cultural centres
348 service cooperatives
34 community radio stations
60 newspapers and periodicals, economic councils, theatre troupes, etc.
A majority of provinces and territories have adopted legislation or policies on service to the public in both official languages.
The Strategic Development Fund is used to finance large-scale innovative and one-time projects beyond the scope of a single community.
Summary of new investments
The Program's budget envelope will increase by $19 million over five years (an increase of 12 percent). This amount is in addition to earlier commitments by the Department to the Program for the same period, making a total of $178 million over five years.
The new funding will be used to support strategic initiatives that ensure the long-term development of Francophone and Anglophone minority communities and allow their members to live in their own language as part of strong, dynamic and inclusive communities and participate fully in all sectors of Canadian society.
Canadian Heritage intends to enhance community life particularly by supporting certain priority areas, including community centres, cultural activities, and community radio stations. The result will be better access to services and institutions, as well as greater community visibility thanks to activities that bring communities together, mobilize them and promote cooperation. These new initiatives will all official-language communities to contribute fully to Canadian diversity.
A portion of the funds, up to a maximum of 10 percent of the total envelope, will be allocated for administrative purposes.
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