Government of Canada Supports Wapikoni Mobile Corporation and Société de communication Atikamekw-Montagnais
WENDAKE, February 10, 2005 -- Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament (Outremont) Jean-C. Lapierre, on behalf of Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women Liza Frulla, today announced $50,000 in funding for the Wapikoni Mobile Corporation and $49,500 for the Société de communication Atikamekw-Montagnais. The funds will allow these organizations to upgrade their Web sites."These two projects will enable Aboriginal people living in Quebec to increase awareness of their culture," said Minister Lapierre. "Web visitors from Canada and abroad will be able to make use of the sites to discover the rich heritage of Quebec's Aboriginal communities."
"It is important to support a Web presence for Canadian content that highlights our Aboriginal communities," said Minister Frulla. "I am convinced that these projects will help to build bridges between the diverse communities that make up our society."
The Wapikoni Mobile project will give young Atikameks and Algonquins the opportunity to tell their story by means of videos that will be broadcast on the Web. The project will give participants access to a motorized training studio and a Web site. The Projet Wampum will allow visitors to the Société de communication Atikamekw-Montagnais Web site to learn more about various topics dealt with in the television series Tshinanu.
Financial assistance is provided by the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canadian Culture Online strategy, which encourages a Canadian presence on the Internet.
Funding announced today was provided for in the March 2004 federal budget.
Information:
Jean-Philippe Côté
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women
(819) 997-7788
André Fortin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport
(613) 991-0700
Myriam Brochu
Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
[ Media Room ]
