Manitoba and Ottawa are investing in government services that can be offered in French in the province, according to media release today.
Federal Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Steven Guilbeault said, “Our two official languages are at the heart of who we are as Canadians, uniting us and enriching our culture and economy from coast to coast to coast. By working with the Manitoba government, we are expanding access to French-language services that directly support the vitality of francophone communities across the province. These investments ensure that francophones in Manitoba can live, work and thrive in the language of their choice, while strengthening Canada’s rich linguistic and cultural diversity.”
Manitoba Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard, minister responsible for francophone affairs, said, “This investment reaffirms our government’s commitment to supporting the vitality of Manitoba’s francophone communities. By expanding access to programs and services in French, we are ensuring that francophones across the province can fully participate in and benefit from public services in the official language of their choice.”
The joint investment will support the enhancement of bilingual signage on municipal buildings, roads, public spaces and infrastructure, and create French-language services liaison officers to support bilingual municipalities in delivering services, governance and training in both official languages.
In addition, the new funding will allow Manitoba Justice to hire bilingual intake workers and social workers, improving access to the Compensation of Victims of Crime Program and the new intimate partner violence protection program currently being developed, for the francophone community.
A bilingual workforce will be further developed through Travel Manitoba with the expansion of French services in key tourism locations in the province, bolstering bilingual recruitment efforts.
Funding for these bilingual services comes from the Canada-Manitoba Agreement on French-Language Services, which is investing $1 million per year for the next three years for special projects aimed at enhancing the presence of French in Manitoba.
