Ottawa, March 20, 2019 – On this International Day of La Francophonie, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) celebrates the exceptional work of its member institutions serving francophone learners. They are strong supporters of La Francophonie and play a key role in its vitality and sustainability, in Canada and abroad.
Today, as always, the future of the Canadian Francophonie depends on access to a high-quality education in French. Canada’s colleges and institutes embrace this mandate with confidence and success, providing services in francophone communities, including in official language minority communities, all across the country.
In recognition of this important role, CICan was delighted to see additional funding in Budget 2019, announced yesterday by Minister of Finance Bill Morneau, for the Official Languages in Education Program (OLEP) that funds minority official language education in Canada.
As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Official Languages Act, we must remember the fundamental role that our official languages play in making Canada not only more inclusive, but a stronger and more prosperous country. CICan would also like to express its support for the bill to modernize the Official Languages Act that was put forward by the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) and its partner organizations. We believe that this new requirement will strengthen the role and capacity of our member colleges and institutes in minority communities by providing them with the additional support they need to offer excellent programs in French.
Happy International Day of La Francophonie!
About Colleges and Institutes Canada:
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is the voice of Canada’s publicly-supported colleges, institutes, cegeps and polytechnics, and an international leader in education for employment with ongoing programs in over 25 countries. CICan’s members add over $190B to Canada’s economy each year and contribute to inclusive economic growth by working with industry and community partners to offer more than 10,000 programs to learners in urban, rural, remote, and northern communities.
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For more information:
Julien Abord-Babin
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
jabord-babin@collegesinstitutes.ca
Tel. : 613-746-2222 ext. 3131
Twitter : @CollegeCan