During a tour of the Atlantic provinces, the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, with the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced the signing of agreements on official languages with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and conclusion of an agreement with the province's Francophone and Acadian community.

"Our government is a leader in Canada on official languages," said Minister Moore. "The important agreements we are announcing today are crucial to the development of Newfoundland and Labrador's Francophone community and the promotion of our two official languages."

Under an agreement on minority-language education and second-language instruction covering the period from 2009 to 2013, the Government of Canada announced a contribution of $15,763,384. This investment supports the provision of French-language teaching for Newfoundland and Labrador's Francophone community, as well as French second-language instruction.

"The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador fully supports French first- and second-language learning opportunities," said Minister King. "We have strong French communities throughout the province and we are pleased to provide support to ensure that these vibrant communities — as well as French language and culture — continue to thrive in Newfoundland and Labrador."

Under another agreement covering the period from 2009 to 2013, the Government of Canada will provide $2.1 million for the delivery of provincial government services in French. The agreement on official languages will assist with developing and implementing specific measures to support the Provincial Government in providing services to the Francophone community.

In addition, the Government of Canada announced ratification of the co-operation agreement between the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Francophone community of Newfoundland and Labrador. This type of agreement promotes dialogue between the community and the Department, allows for a more strategic approach to cooperation, and stresses the follow-up steps required to achieve the planned objectives. The Government of Canada is providing yearly funding of $1,039,000 to organizations representing Newfoundland and Labrador's Francophone community. As part of this support for community organizations, the minister announced funding for a group of projects, including development of the five-year strategic plan for the Francophone cultural network of the Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador ($22,000), the parent training project of the Fédération des parents francophones de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador ($10,000), and the creation of a kit to help teachers use Le Gaboteur (the province's French-language newspaper) in the classroom ($8,000).