Governments of Canada and Manitoba enhance the Canada-Manitoba Agreement on Minority-Language Education and Second Official-Language Instruction 2020-21 to 2022-23
Government of Canada and Manitoba support minority-language education and second official language instruction
WINNIPEG, MB, Oct. 20, 2022 /CNW/ - Education is important in ensuring the equality, preservation and promotion of Canada's two official languages.
Today, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Member of Parliament (Saint Boniface-Saint Vital), Jon Reyes, Manitoba Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration and Wayne Ewasko, Manitoba Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, announced a funding increase of more than $ 6.2 million over two years for Manitoba, as part of the Canada-Manitoba Agreement on Minority-Language Education and Second Official-Language Instruction.
This funding will allow the province to work with school boards to increase resources for educators and give these boards the tools needed so that students can thrive and have access to more opportunities to learn in French.
With an investment of more than $108 million from the Government of Canada, Manitoba will invest $64 million to support students in their studies and in their second official language. This funding will also address emerging needs and priorities in French-language education, from early childhood to the postsecondary level.
Furthermore, more than $44.7 million will be allocated over three years to support the Government of Manitoba in implementing its own action plan for minority-language education and second-language instruction. This funding is part of the Government of Canada's long-term commitment to support Manitoba's minority language education and second official language learning initiatives.
The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
"Linguistic duality is fundamental to our Canadian identity. Co-operation between our two governments will help strengthen the promotion of French language learning in Manitoba, while also preserving the French language and culture for future generations. I am very pleased our government is partnering to enhance and expand French language programs in Manitoba schools."
—The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
"The French language has been spoken in Manitoba for hundreds of years. This partnership will help improve the quality of minority language education and increase the number of students who can attend a French language school across Manitoba, as well as help increase the number of high school graduates who have a deep knowledge of their second official language. This is another example of our work to protect minority-language rights and great news for Manitoba."
— The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Member of Parliament (Saint Boniface-Saint Vital)
"Having access to French-language instruction at the post secondary level is part of a continuum of learning services that strengthens the linguistic, cultural and social fabric of Francophone communities in our province. Working as a team, the federal and provincial governments are helping strengthen Francophone communities across the province by ensuring all students have educational opportunities that meet their needs."
— Jon Reyes, Manitoba Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration
"Language is used to connect with others, our cultures and the world around us. Ensuring minority language instruction is available is key to helping young Manitobans learn Canada's second official language. I'm proud this partnership between the federal and provincial governments is continuing to support all Manitobans as they learn French."
— Wayne Ewasko, Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning
Financial support is provided through the Canadian Heritage Minority-Language Education component of the Development of Official Language Communities Program and through the Second Language Learning component of the Enhancement of Official Languages Program.
Additional funding through Budget 2021 included $165 million from 2021-22 to 2023-24 to help all provinces and territories improve French as a second language programs, including French immersion in schools and postsecondary institutions.
Budget 2021 announced $180.4 million over three years, starting in 2021-22, to help students achieve greater levels of bilingualism. This funding will help enhance French immersion and French second language programs in schools and post-secondary institutions and help provinces and territories meet the strong demand from students and parents for spaces in French immersion and French second language programs.
The Action Plan for Official Languages 2018-2023 calls for $2.7 billion over five years, including $500 million in new funding, to support official language minority communities and promote bilingualism across the country.
On March 1, 2022, the Government of Canada introduced an enhanced bill promoting the substantive equality of Canada's official languages, to adapt the Official Languages Act to a changing society. Among other objectives, the bill aims to address the decline of the French language in Canada, clarify and strengthen the section of the Official Languages Act dealing with the promotion of official languages and support official language minority communities.
In 2019-2020, the Government of Canada announced $60 million over four years to increase funding for provinces and territories in support of minority-language education as provisioned in Budget 2019. This funding was added to more than $235 million in funding already allocated to the provinces and territories each year under the Protocol for Agreements on Minority-Language Education and Second-Language Instruction 2019-2020 to 2022-2023 between the Government of Canada and the Provinces and Territories.
Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages
Action Plan for Official Languages – 2018-2023: Investing in Our Future - Canada.ca
Official Languages Support Programs
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
For more information (media only), please contact: Marianne Blondin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]:[email protected]
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