First English-language Community Radio Station Coming to Brome--Missisquoi Riding
LAC BROME, April 6, 2004 -- The Honourable Denis Paradis, Minister of State (Financial Institutions) and Member of Parliament (Brome--Missisquoi), on behalf of the Honourable Hélène Chalifour Scherrer, Minister of Canadian Heritage, today announced the involvement of the Government of Canada in the launch of Missisquoi Community Radio (MCR). In July 2003, MCR was licenced by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to set up and operate an English-language community radio station, which is to go on the air in January 2005."Once it begins broadcasting, MCR will be the first English-language community radio station in the communities of Lac Brome, Sutton, and Cowansville," said Minister of State Paradis. "Having access to community radio services in their own language is an important social and cultural benefit for official language communities in a minority situation."
"Minority official language communities are a priority for the Government of Canada," said Minister Chalifour Scherrer. "That is why it is so important to support the creation, operation, and growth of community radio stations serving minority language communities. I am very glad that we are partnering with MCR, and I congratulate them on this wonderful initiative, which will provide the Anglophone population in Brome--Missisquoi an important new tool to promote their community activities and express their own identity."
The funding of $87,990 will allow MCR to acquire and install the equipment required to set up a radio station, as well as to train the volunteers who will operate the station.
Financial support is provided by the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Community Life component of the Development of Official-Language Communities Program.
Funding for this project was provided for in the March 2004 federal Budget.
Information:
Jean-François Del Torchio
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of Denis Paradis
(613) 996-3170
Mylène Dupéré
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
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