Left to right: the Honourable Mélanie Joly and Karen Pozniak (Executive Director of Canadian Parents for French – Saskatchewan)
A ‘Meet & Greet’ took place with the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, on September 11 in Saskatoon at La Troupe du Jour Théâtre Building. More than 30 people turned out to hear Minister Joly’s remarks about the 2018-23 Action Plan for Official Languages, entitled Investing in Our Future. Event attendees came from Canadian Parents for French – Saskatchewan, many Francophone community organizations and the Francophone School Board. Mona Fortier, Liberal MP for Ottawa-Vanier, representatives from Canadian Heritage and CBC/Radio-Canada were present as well.
The federal government had already previously announced an annual investment of $499 million ($2.7 billion over five years) into Canada’s Official Languages. Within the Investing in Our Future 2018-23 Action Plan for Official Languages they had advised of a 20% increase in core programming for community organizations to begin being received in the fall of 2018.
The Plan states that between 2003 and 2013, Canada saw a 52% increase in French immersion enrolment, although access is unequal across the country. It sets an objective to increase the bilingualism rate of the Canadian population to 20% (from the existing 17.9%) by 2036.
For a full copy of Investing in Our Future 2018-23 Action Plan for Official Languages, please go here.