A new immigration initiative will significantly enhance New Brunswick's capacity to attract, recruit, integrate and retain Francophone newcomers, particularly in rural regions of the province, thanks to investments announced today though the Government of Canada’s Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality.

The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency), and the Honourable Shawn Graham, Premier of New Brunswick today announced $10 million towards a four-year project that will assist the Government of New Brunswick in preserving the population's linguistic profile through enchanted francophone immigrant recruitment.

“The Government of Canada recognizes it has an important role to play in creating an environment in which businesses and people can thrive and prosper,” said Minister Ashfield. “Our Government’s $10 million investment in this initiative will help ensure that New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada have the bilingual capacity needed to maximize the region’s long-term economic potential.”

“Since making a commitment in our population growth strategy to support francophone immigration to New Brunswick, our government has considered the federal government a key partner in our francophone immigration efforts. Today, we are very pleased to see the federal government recognizing the importance of francophone immigration in maintaining our province’s linguistic balance,” said Premier Graham. “Going forward, the government of New Brunswick will play a key role in managing this francophone immigration fund to ensure it suits our immigration needs, builds on our successes to date and ultimately helps bring our province closer to self-sufficiency.

“It is important that provinces have the resources needed to recruit and integrate Francophone newcomers,” said the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. “Attracting Francophone newcomers to New Brunswick ensures the continued vitality of Francophone communities and contributes to the cultural richness and diversity of the region.”

This four-year project will assist the Government of New Brunswick in preserving the population's linguistic profile with respect to immigrant recruitment. New Brunswick’s Population Growth Secretariat has developed a program integrating a number of strategic activities, which will be supported through this $10 million initiative. Activities will focus on increasing Francophone immigration and enhancing the province’s capacity for Francophone settlement and integration.

The Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), is contributing $10 million toward this initiative as part of the Roadmap for Canada’s Linguistic Duality 2008-2013: Acting for the Future, which was launched in June 2008. This Roadmap involves a government-wide investment of $1.1 billion over five years and illustrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to linguistic duality and to the vitality of official language minority communities.

ACOA is the delivery agent in New Brunswick for the federal government’s Roadmap for Linguistic Duality 2008-2013 funding program. For more information regarding ACOA’s programs, please consult the agency’s website at www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca.

For information on Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013, please visit Canadian Heritage’s website at www.pch.gc.ca

For information on New Brunswick’s Population Growth Secretariat, please visit www.gnb.ca/population

FOR BROADCAST USE:

The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of State for ACOA, along with the Honourable Shawn Graham, Premier of New Brunswick today announced $10 million four-year project that will help the Government of New Brunswick preserve the province’s linguistic profile with respect to francophone immigrant recruitment.

New Brunswick’s Population Growth Secretariat has developed a program integrating a number of strategic activities, which will be supported through this initiative. This Government of Canada investment is provided through the Roadmap for Canada’s Linguistic Duality 2008-2013: Acting for the Future, which was launched in June 2008.

-30-

INFORMATION:

Erin Filliter
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of State (ACOA)
613-941-7241

Ted Parisé
Senior Communications Officer
ACOA New Brunswick 
506-452-3917

Brendan Langille
Communications New Brunswick 
506-444-5070