Human Resources, Labour and Employment
May 24, 2011
The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment:
Immigration and Multiculturalism Strengthened Through Grants and Contributions
I rise today to inform this Honourable House that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador through Budget 2011 continues to strengthen its commitment to attracting and retaining immigrants.
In Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador, we outlined our commitment to create opportunities for more citizens to thrive and prosper. In total, $705,000 is included for grants to support immigration and multiculturalism initiatives. This investment includes an increase of $50,000 in 2011, and further enhances the priorities of the province’s immigration strategy, Diversity ~ Opportunity and Growth, launched in 2007.
The strategy currently has an annual investment of approximately $2.4 million.
Provincial Government grant funding in 2011 will support many initiatives including English tutoring for spouses, multicultural events, and welcoming community projects.
This past year, for example, the Provincial Government contributed to 41 organizations, including $48,000 to the Multicultural Women’s Organization of Newfoundland and Labrador, $30,000 to Memorial University’s International Student Advising Office, and $260,000 to the Association for New Canadians.
These are examples of the kinds of initiatives and investments we fund aimed at increasing the number of immigrants who choose Newfoundland and Labrador as their new home in Canada. By supporting our community partners, we are working to ensure the province retains and maximizes the strengths of our newcomers while promoting inclusive, prosperous communities across the province.
To that end, it is truly inspirational to see that the province is home to people from 100 different countries speaking 70 different languages. These highly-skilled individuals have settled in 48 communities, with almost 50 per cent located in rural parts of the province. When we encourage immigration and multiculturalism we build vibrant communities, and we enrich our future.
In closing, I am confident that the Provincial Government’s continued support to our partners through Budget 2011 will allow them to enhance the cultural diversity, prosperity, and long-term vision we are all seeking in this province. Cooperation and partnership are critical, to connecting people to possibilities!
2011 05 24 1:45 p.m.