Federal Government Signs Agreement with the Francophone Community of Ontario
OTTAWA, December 18, 1996 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps today signed a funding agreement with representatives of the Francophone community of Ontario. The signing ceremony on Parliament Hill was attended by federal Members of Parliament and representatives of organizations dedicated to promoting the development of Ontario's Francophones and protecting their rights.This agreement is the culmination of an exercise begun by the federal government two and a half years ago in an effort to redefine the approach to providing financial support to minority official language communities in Canada. This type of agreement has now been signed with the Francophone communities of all the provinces and two territories, and with the Anglophone community of Quebec.
"The Franco-Ontarian community is proof of the strength and vitality of Francophones in Canada," said Minister Copps. "This agreement means they can continue on their road to success."
The agreement provides $12.8 million over four years. An additional $5.8 million will be provided for infrastructure and other special projects, bringing the total financial assistance to the community to $18.6 million for the four-year period. A coalition of 70 organizations representing every sector of Franco-Ontarian society participated in the negotiations. This new multi-year funding method will encourage cooperation among the various organizations so as to bring their efforts to bear on common development priorities and thus use the government assistance as effectively as possible.
Funding for this project was provided for in the March 1996 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. This initiative is an example of how this government is prioritizing its spending so that it can better serve Canadians by making efficient use of their tax dollars.
Fact Sheet available upon request.
Information:
Julia Arnsby
Press Secretary
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
Robert Bousquet
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
(819) 994-4239
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