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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">March 20, 2006</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">OTTAWA, Ontario<br>
2006/1<br>
</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="text-decoration: underline">CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY</span></span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY</span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">THE HONOURABLE JOSÉE VERNER,</span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt"> </span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION</span><span style="font-size: 14pt"> AND</span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">MINISTER FOR LA FRANCOPHONIE AND OFFICIAL LANGUAGES,</span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">AT THE CELEBRATION OF </span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF LA FRANCOPHONIE</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">I am happy to join you tonight to celebrate the International Day of La Francophonie
and to express our pride in belonging to the great francophone family.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">From Bouctouche to St. Boniface, through Quebec City, and from Sudbury to
Yellowknife, Canada’s francophone communities are the hallmark of the diversity that
characterizes Canadian culture and sets us apart within the community of nations. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">As a Canadian and as Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages, I am proud
to be one of nine million citizens who can speak, sing, write, work and live in French.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">The development of the French language in North America is a constant challenge. As
a Québécoise and a Canadian, I am fully aware of this. So is the government I
represent. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">My colleagues and I recognize that the French fact is more than a vital component of
our history and our heritage; it is also an indispensable asset for our future, culturally,
socially and economically. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">In this fast-changing world, where borders are more blurred every day and where
exchanges between peoples are multiplying, francophone communities must work
together to succeed. They must also innovate to build greater synergy among the
dynamic forces that are Canada’s francophones. In this spirit, our government is
committed to ensuring the sustainability of minority language communities.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">Prime Minister Stephen Harper has reiterated, on several occasions, how important the
French fact is to him and to Canada. As he put it so well, “I have not learned French to
become Canada’s Prime Minister. I have learned French because I have always been
convinced that French is a precious heritage that all Canadians should share. It is also
a beautiful language, the language of a great civilization.” </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">On this International Day of La Francophonie, it is this heritage and this rich language
that we are so proudly celebrating. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">It is our unwavering desire to perpetuate and enrich this heritage and this language that
we are highlighting. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">And it is our inherent affection for the extended family that is La Francophonie that we
are expressing loudly and clearly. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">La Francophonie consists of 175 million speakers of French on five continents, and
over 700 million people within the International Organization of La Francophonie. This
organization was created in Niamey, the Niger, on March 20, 1970. Today, it numbers
63 states and participating governments.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">Within La Francophonie, Canada represents and advocates the values of all
Canadians, whatever their language or culture. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">The year 2005 was a productive year for La Francophonie, with UNESCO adopting the
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. <span> </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">Moments ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with the ambassadors of Senegal, Tunisia,
and the Niger to Canada. I will take this opportunity to highlight the success of the Fifth
Games of La Francophonie in Niamey last December.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">The year 2006 will be equally exciting. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Léopold Sédar Senghor,
statesman, poet, great advocate of cultural diversity, and founding father of La
Francophonie. <span> </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">In May 2006, in St. Boniface, Manitoba, Canada will host a Ministerial Conference of La
Francophonie on conflict prevention and human security. I am pleased that Canada will
be the venue for this conference, which confirms the political role of La Francophonie. I
am happy that this conference will give the Franco-Manitoban community a unique
opportunity to make itself better known internationally. </span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">The year 2006 will also be marked by the Summit of Heads of State and Government in
Bucharest, Romania. For the first time, the states and governments of the International
Organization of La Francophonie will meet in an Eastern European country.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">Canada has always been active at the summits of La Francophonie. In 2008, in Quebec
City, Canada will host the 12th Summit of Heads of State and Government of La
Francophonie. This event will coincide with the 400th anniversary of Samuel de
Champlain’s founding of Quebec City. It will give all of Canada’s francophone
community an exceptional opportunity to show its vitality, enthusiasm and contribution
to La Francophonie. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">In closing, dear friends, I urge you to continue your commitment to La Francophonie. I
want you to know I am proud of the vitality and enthusiasm of Canada’s francophone
community and its influence internationally. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">Long live Canada’s francophone community and La Francophonie! </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif">Thank you. </span></p>
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