Signing of New Canada -- National Francophone Organizations Agreement
OTTAWA, December 4, 1999 -- On behalf of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Sheila Copps, Mauril Bélanger, Parliamentary Secretary for Canadian Heritage, today signed a framework agreement aimed at supporting the 21 national organizations representing the Francophone minority communities across Canada. Through the agreement, the Government of Canada will provide funding of $18.4 million over the next five years, a 30% increase over last year."The Government of Canada recognizes the dynamism and essential contribution of the organizations representing the minority Francophone communities and it intends to give them every opportunity to continue promoting the French fact in Canada," said Mr. Bélanger. "Linguistic duality is a cornerstone of our collective identity and contributes to enrich the diversity that makes Canada strong."
The agreement enables the Government of Canada to support the regular activities and pancanadian projects of 21 organizations that work on the development and vitality of Canada's Francophone communities in the areas of arts, culture, the economy, communications and education.
The Canada - National Organizations Agreement is part of a series of similar agreements to be concluded in the coming months with each of the provincial and territorial official-language communities. In all, the Department of Canadian Heritage will dedicate $159 million over the next five years to the planning and implementation of initiatives sponsored by the advocacy, service and leadership organizations that promote community development across the country.
The budgets provided through these agreements are derived from additional funds invested in official-language support programs. Funding for these agreements was provided for in the February 1999 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.
Information:
Catherine Gagnaire
Communications Assistant
Office of the Minister of
Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
FACT SHEET
DIRECT SUPPORT TO THE OFFICIAL-LANGUAGE COMMUNITIES
The presence of Francophones and Anglophones in all areas of the country is a fundamental part of Canada's identity.
The Government of Canada is committed to fostering the development and growth of minority official-language communities (Francophones outside Quebec and Anglophones inside Quebec) and considers these communities to be an asset to Canadian society.
It has therefore been contributing since the 1970s to funding the activities of more than 350 organizations representing service, organizational and educational agencies in the community. Since 1994, the Department of Canadian Heritage has signed Canada - Community Agreements with each of the provincial and territorial communities, and with national Francophone agencies. Each agreement has a multi-year envelope for the funding of community agency programs and projects. The current agreements expired on March 31, 1999.
By facilitating planning and coordination among agencies in a community and focussing on closer cooperation with the Department, these Agreements allow the communities to set their own priorities, encourage greater harmonization among the various agencies and make sure that the best possible use is funds made available to them. Two evaluations, which involved wide ranging consultations, confirmed that the agreements encouraged the communities to take greater control of their own development.
The Canada - National Organizations Agreements establishes a framework for cooperation between the Department of Canadian Heritage and the following 21 organizations:
Alliance canadienne des responsables et des enseignants et enseignantes en français langue maternelle (ACREF)
Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada (ARC)
Assemblée des aînées et aînés francophones du Canada (AAAFC)
Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française (ACELF)
Association de la presse francophone (APF)
Association des scouts du Canada
Association des théâtres francophones du Canada (ATFC)
Commission nationale des parents francophones (CNPF)
Conseil canadien de la coopération (CCC)
Conseil de la vie française en Amérique (CVFA)
Fédération des associations de juristes d'expression française de common law (FAJEF)
Fédération canadienne pour l'alphabétisation en français (FCAF)
Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (FCCF)
Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA)
Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française (FJCF)
Fédération nationale des femmes canadiennes-françaises (FNFCF)
Fédération nationale des conseillers et conseillères scolaires francophones (FNCSF)
Festival international de la chanson de Granby
Guides franco-canadiennes
Regroupement des éditeurs canadiens-français (RECF)
Réseau national d'action éducation femmes (RNAEF)
[ Media Room ]
