On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, John Duncan, Member of Parliament (Vancouver Island North), today announced funding for the Association francophone de Campbell River and the Association francophone de la Vallée de Comox.
This funding will be used to support programming that meets the needs of the region's Francophones and Francophiles. In addition to providing French courses and orientation for newcomers, the community centre of the Association francophone de Campbell River offers family-related activities and services, including a daycare, a library and summer camps. The annual programming of the Association francophone de la Vallée de Comox focuses on early childhood development and encouraging the participation of the entire family.
"Our Government has made a commitment to fostering the development of minority Francophone communities," said Minister Moore. "We recognize the importance of linguistic duality as an economic, social, and cultural asset for all Canadians."
"The Francophone associations of Campbell River and the Comox Valley help promote linguistic and cultural diversity and build connections between our English- and French-speaking communities," said Mr. Duncan. "I am pleased that our Government continues to support these valuable community groups."
The Government of Canada has provided funding of $110,068 under the Community Life component of the Development of Official-Language Communities Program. This program of the Department of Canadian Heritage aims to foster the development of Canada's minority Anglophone and Francophone communities and enable them to participate fully in all aspects of Canadian life.
Like the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013: Acting for the Future, support for these two organizations reiterates the Government of Canada's commitment to linguistic duality and the vitality of official-language minority communities. The Roadmap is an unprecedented government-wide investment of $1.1 billon over five years.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the adoption of Canada's first Official Languages Act.