Manitoba Government Adopts The Francophone Community Enhancement and Support Act
– – –New Act Legislates Existing Administrative Structures, Tools to Continue Serving Francophone Community: Squires
The Manitoba government has adopted the Francophone Community Enhancement and Support Act, which establishes in law existing administrative structures and tools used to serve the francophone community, Sports, Culture and Heritage Minister Rochelle Squires, minister responsible for francophone affairs,announced today.
“French is entrenched in the history of our province and the francophone community continues today to be an integral part of its development,” said Squires. “Our province benefits from a strong and dynamic francophone community, and will continue to do so. This act shows not only that our government is committed to the francophone community, but that it supports continued progress.”
With all members of the legislative assembly voting to support the act, the minister said this is one of the most significant provincial commitments to the francophone community since the first French language services policy was introduced in 1989 and the Chartier report was tabled in 1998.
Highlights of the legislation include:
- establishing a Francophone Affairs Advisory Council comprised of senior officials and community members to advise and make recommendations to the minister responsible for francophone affairs;
- modernizing the mandate of the Francophone Affairs Secretariat;
- requiring departments and public bodies to prepare a multi-year strategic plan relating to the provision of French-language services; and
- requiring a report on the work of the secretariat and the advisory council, and progress made by public bodies to implement French-language services plans be tabled annually.
“We can now aspire to greater successes, as this legislation guarantees a future based on existing rights acquired through collaboration and in a way that meets our needs,” said Jacqueline Blay, president, board of directors, Société Franco-Manitobaine. “The adoption of this act makes June 30, 2016, a historic day. Our desire to live in French in Manitoba, in all dimensions of daily life, has become a reality.”
The minister noted with the adoption of the Francophone Community Enhancement and Support Act, Manitoba is now leading the way with progressive measures to support the enhancement of its francophone community, and joins several provinces and territories that have previously legislated French language services.
More than 100,000 Manitobans speak French in the province, whether French is their mother tongue or used on a regular basis in their daily lives. The minister said the increased number of bilingual Manitobans provides a strategic advantage for Manitoba allowing the province to seek and develop strong partnerships with other provinces and countries.
More details about the Francophone Community Enhancement and Support Act can be found at https://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/41-1/b005e.php.
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