New Canada-Anglophone Community of Quebec Official-Languages Agreement Signed
OTTAWA, December 17, 1999 -- On behalf of Minister of Canadian Heritage, Sheila Copps, Member of Parliament for Lac Saint-Louis, Clifford Lincoln, yesterday signed a framework agreement to further the development and growth of Quebec's Anglophone community. Through this agreement, the Government of Canada will provide funding of $15.2 million over the next five years, a 50% increase over last year. These additional resources will enable the community to support initiatives that will benefit regional communities and address needs or concerns in priority sectors such as distance education, artistic and cultural expression and community-based economic development."Since the dawn of our history as a nation, linguistic duality has been one of the foundations of Canadian identity, and in the current global context it is synonymous with success and prosperity," said Mr. Lincoln. "As today's announcement attests, the Government of Canada recognizes the dynamic and vital contributions of official-language minority communities, and it intends to give them every opportunity to flourish and continue playing a key role in our society as we enter the third millennium."
The Anglo-Quebec Canada Community Agreement is part of a series of similar agreements which will be signed with each official-language minority community across the country. In total, the Department of Canadian Heritage will dedicate $159 million over the next five years to the planning and implementation of initiatives sponsored by advocacy, service and leadership organizations that promote community development nationally in each of the provinces and territories.
The monies paid out in the context of the Canada-Community agreements are derived from additional funds invested in official-languages 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 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 of Quebec and Anglophones in 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 financial envelope for the funding of community agency programs and projects. The current agreements expired on 31 March 1999.
By facilitating planning and coordination among agencies in a community and focussing on closer cooperation with the Department, these Agreements allow communities to set their own development priorities and make sure that the best possible use is made of available funds. Two evaluations, which involved wide ranging consultations, confirmed that the agreements encouraged the communities to take greater control of their own development.
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