Projects under the Canada-New Brunswick General Agreement on Official Languages Promotion
FREDERICTON, N.B., October 4, 1995 The Honourable Michel Dupuy, Minister of Canadian Heritage, and the Honourable Bernard Richard, New Brunswick Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, announced today the joint funding of some forty projects for 1995-96 under the Canada-New Brunswick General Agreement on the Promotion of Official Languages."Efforts devoted in recent years to the promotion of official languages throughout the country have brought about a better understanding between the two linguistic communities," said Mr. Dupuy. "It is essential to pursue these efforts and encourage activities that help bring all Canadians closer."
"A better appreciation of our linguistic and cultural realities will be a guarantee of New Brunswick's collective development, " added Mr. Richard. "We are pleased to contribute to the realization of a number of projects that give prominence to the major sources of pride that our heritage and linguistic identity constitute for all the people of New Brunswick."
The federal and provincial governments will each contribute $1.08 million during the 1995- 96 fiscal year to fund the activities of the Canada-New Brunswick General Agreement on the Promotion of Official Languages. These activities will enable eight provincial departments and two government organizations to carry out their initiatives to promote bilingualism and improve services in New Brunswick.
Among the more noteworthy of the new initiatives are the in-depth assessment of services pursuant to the Official Languages Act and the policy entitling clients to service in the language of their choice. In addition, a project to develop a continuing education and information program for francophone municipal elected officials in New Brunswick will be set up, following the recommendations of a study done by the Université de Moncton.
The Department of Health and Community Services will continue its language training projects in hospitals and the development of French-language educational resources for its clientele. Dialogue New Brunswick will continue to organize activities designed to promote mutual understanding between members of the francophone and anglophone communities so as to encourage them to work together toward the development of the province. Various language exchange programs for school students will be continued.
In 1993, Canada and New Brunswick renewed the General Agreement on the Promotion of Official Languages for five years to promote the development and equality of both official-language communities. The Agreement is administered for the federal government by the Department of Canadian Heritage, and for the provincial government by the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Funding for these projects was provided for in the February 1995 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. This project is an example of how the federal government is prioritizing its spending so as to better serve Canadians by making efficient use of their tax dollars.
Information:
Paul Soucy
Communications
Department of Canadian Heritage
New Brunswick .
(506) 851-3980
Neil Wilson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
François Rioux
New Brunswick Department of Intergovernmental Affairs
Fredericton, N.B
(506) 453-2976
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