<div dir="ltr"><div><div id="gmail-mrt-node-tgtm-SideTop-0-HeadComponentTitle"><div id="gmail-tgtm-SideTop-0-HeadComponentTitle-Proxy"><header id="gmail-tgtm-SideTop-0-HeadComponentTitle" class="gmail-canvas-header"><h1 class="gmail-Lh(36px) gmail-Fz(25px)--sm gmail-Fz(32px) gmail-Mb(17px)--sm gmail-Mb(20px) gmail-Mb(30px)--lg gmail-Ff($ff-primary) gmail-Lts($lspacing-md) gmail-Fw($fweight) gmail-Fsm($fsmoothing) gmail-Fsmw($fsmoothing) gmail-Fsmm($fsmoothing) gmail-Wow(bw)">Cross-Canada Official Languages Consultations 2016 <time class="gmail-date gmail-D(ib) gmail-Fz(11px) gmail-Mb(4px)" datetime="2016-12-08T18:30:00.000Z">Dec 8, 2016, 1:30 PM</time></h1></header></div></div></div><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">GATINEAU, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Dec 8, 2016) - Department of Canadian Heritage</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">The
Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, today announced
the end of the public component of the cross-Canada consultations on
official languages. The Minister will be holding a meeting in Ottawa to
review the situation with organizations that work in official-language
minority communities and promote linguistic duality.</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">The
consultations, which took place from June through December 2016,
consisted of round table discussions held in each of the provinces and
territories. The public also had an opportunity to complete an online
questionnaire.</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">All
of the round table discussions were led by the Minister or her
Parliamentary Secretary, Randy Boissonnault. Several ministers and
members of Parliament also participated in the discussions to become
more familiar with official languages issues and the realities of
official-language minority communities.</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">The
consultations were open to Canadians from all walks of life. The online
questionnaire gave them a chance to express their views on Canada's
language policy and the realities of their communities.</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">The
data gathered online and during round table discussions will give the
Minister food for thought on the key issues and actions to focus on in
developing a new multi-year action plan for official languages.</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">Minister Joly would like to thank Canadians who took part in the consultations.</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em"><strong>Quotes</strong></p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">"These
consultations gave me a chance to see just how much Canadians across
this country care about our two official languages, which are
fundamental to our Canadian social contract. The stories, experiences
and challenges may vary from one region to the next, but there is no
doubt that our official languages are an integral part of our identity. I
will continue to reflect on the situation so that I can come up with a
new action plan in 2018."</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">"Citizens
raised important issues, like French education in early childhood,
bilingualism, the situation of English speakers in Quebec, and
engagement between speakers of English and French. Our official
languages remain an area where issues affect people in their everyday
lives."</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em">- Randy Boissonnault, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage</p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em"><strong>Quick Facts</strong></p><ul class="gmail-canvas-list gmail-Pstart(40px) gmail-Mt(1.5em) gmail-Mb(1.5em) gmail-List(d)"><li>A
total of 22 round table discussions were held in all of the provinces
and territories, during which more than 350 leaders and stakeholders
were heard. </li><li>Nearly 6,400 people completed the online questionnaire, which is double the number of the previous cross-Canada consultations. </li><li>The
media were invited to all of the round table discussions as observers,
and the public was able to view webcasts of some of the discussions from
start to finish. </li><li>A total of 90 briefs were submitted by organizations and individuals. </li><li>A report will be posted soon on the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1455565579172/1469650435435">Consultations</a> webpage. </li></ul><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em"><strong>Associated Links</strong></p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em"><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1455565579172/1469650435435" target="_blank">Cross-Canada Official Languages Consultations 2016</a></p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em"><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1457029880818/1457029949239" target="_blank">Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018</a></p><p class="gmail-canvas-text gmail-Mb(1.0em) gmail-Mb(0)--sm gmail-Mt(0.8em)--sm gmail-canvas-atom" style="letter-spacing:0.01em"><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/cross-canada-official-languages-consultations-183000101.html">http://sports.yahoo.com/news/cross-canada-official-languages-consultations-183000101.html</a><br></p><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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