A message from Minister of State Joan McIntyre
Thank you for contributing to the Province’s consultation on francophone priorities.
The Province of British Columbia has worked with the francophone and francophile community to build a strong and collaborative relationship.
Working with the community and the federal government, we have increased our capacity as a province to service the francophone community in priority sectors, including:
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Two bilingual social support worker positions at La Boussole in Vancouver, who work with the homeless and persons with special needs;
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Inform’Elles Society received a $50,000 grant from the Province in 2008 to support its work delivering outreach and counselling services for French-speaking B.C. women;
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The recruitment of skilled workers in France under the Provincial Nominee Program, and an increase in the provision of Settlement Services for French-speaking newcomers; and
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Translation and promotion of the B.C. HealthGuide and other health information materials such as BC HealthFiles.
Over the coming year, an important priority will be to continue implementing the current Canada-BC Agreement on Official Languages, which expires in 2009, and negotiate the new agreement.
Going into the new agreement, we will pay particular attention to such priorities as health, economic development, social services, justice, and arts and culture. We are also looking for your ideas on how we can work together for lasting francophone legacies from the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and collaborate on measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
We also hope to hear from the many francophone community organizations throughout the province. We hope you will tell us about your goals and aspirations over the next five years, and how we can work together to realize them.
Thank you again for sharing your ideas. I look forward to a continued strong partnership.
Joan McIntyre
Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations
