The following is being distributed at the request of the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie:

The Canadian Francophonie: A Key Partner for the Development of Canadian Society

At the provincial-territorial session of the 14th Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie, which was held September 23 and 24 in Vancouver, BC, ministers responsible for the Canadian Francophonie reiterated the need for increased collaboration with the federal government in order to promote and reinforce the vitality of the Canadian Francophonie.

In this year marking the 40th anniversary of Canada�s Official Languages Act, ministers reaffirmed their willingness to exercise leadership in fostering the growth and development of the Canadian Francophonie and expressed their desire to maintain an ongoing, sustainable dialogue with the federal government. Ministers reiterated the vision of the Conference: an open and dynamic Francophonie that fully contibutes to the development of Canadian society.

�By combining our efforts and working in the same direction, we will maximize the results of our actions promoting the Francophonie in Canada,� said the Honourable Naomi Yamamoto, British Columbia�s Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations and co-chair of this year�s Ministerial Conference.

Provincial and territorial ministers are enthusiastic about the idea of promoting the Canadian Francophonie and supporting francophone athletes at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This large-scale event will highlight the Canadian Francophonie internationally.

In that spirit, provincial and territorial ministers met with representatives of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and discussed the status of the French language at the Games. They also took part in activities with Olympians and committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle for the well-being of the Francophonie and the Canadian population. Ministers also noted that the Canada Summer Games, hosted last month in Prince Edward Island, involved the participation of numerous francophone athletes, officials and volunteers in a bilingual manner. Ministers acknowledged this excellent showcase of the Canadian Francophonie.

Ministers also discussed the decisive role played by the media, particularly with respect to the transmission of French language and culture and the process of identity-building among francophone youth. In this regard, ministers expressed concern about the impact on French language services of recent budget reductions that public broadcasters, particularly Radio-Canada, have had to make in certain provinces.

Ministers accepted the invitation of the Honourable Jackson Lafferty, Minister responsible for Official Languages of the Northwest Territories, who will host the next Conference, to be held on June 22 and 23, 2010 in Yellowknife.

The Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie was created in 1994 and includes the federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for the Canadian Francophonie. The ministers meet annually to deal with various issues related to the Canadian Francophonie, to provide direction for intergovernmental cooperation and to perform a unifying role in support of the Canadian Francophonie.

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2009 09 24                            11:35 a.m.