National Human Resources Development Committee for the English Linguistic Minority of Quebec

• Promotion of bilingual services
• Addition to priorities fostering immigration within communities

In collaboration with Martine Boucher, Human Resources and Social Development Canada

In October 2007, federal and community partners met in Sherbrooke, Quebec, for a meeting of the National Human Resources Development Committee for the English Linguistic Minority. This meeting, co-chaired by Rachel Larabie-LeSieur, Assistant Deputy Minister at Industry Canada, and Jo Anne Fandrich, President of the Community Table, allowed the participants to share information and success stories, promote opportunities and new projects, raise communities' views and concerns, and create partnerships and alliances. During the meeting, the Community Table made an interesting presentation on the Community Vitality Index, a tool designed to focus on community needs and concerns and to help communities measure their vitality. Participants also heard from Industry Canada on the business opportunities available for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and listened to a presentation by the Quebec Community Groups Network on the Greater Montreal Community Development Initiative.

The National Human Resources Development Committee for the English Linguistic Minority is a partnership between the Government of Canada and members of the English minority communities of Quebec. This partnership stems from a shared vision for strong and sustainable English-speaking communities throughout Quebec. The National Committee is committed to supporting this vision through its two equal collaborators: the Government Table and the Community Table.

For further information, please contact Martine Boucher at 819-934-6165 or by e-mail at martine.boucher@hrsdcrhdsc.gc.ca

Promotion of bilingual services

In collaboration with Philippe Laurencelle, Canadian Heritage

For the first time in Gatineau, Quebec, in September 2007, Canadian Heritage's Official Languages Support Programs Branch (OLSPB) organized a forum on promoting bilingual services in the private sector. The objective was to assemble participants working in that field with a view to sharing best practices. The forum attracted some twenty participants, including 14 representatives of Francophone community organizations, municipal and provincial organizations, and economic development groups working particularly with store owners.

During the one-day meeting, participants presented ten projects undertaken across the country. The projects dealt with a range of activities, from visibility campaigns for the French reality and awareness-raising among businesses on the benefits of offering services to the public in both official languages, to actively offering practical tools to businesses. Tools include staff language training workshops, recognition certificates to businesses offering bilingual services, and various means to list and promote services offered in French. A brief outline summarizing the key elements of each project is found on Canadian Heritage's official languages website, www.pch.gc.ca, under Citizenship and Identity. It is hoped that this will lead to other initiatives in the field.

Addition to priorities fostering immigration within communities

In collaboration with Denise Legault, Citizenship and Immigration Canada

In September 2006, the Citizenship and Immigration Canada – Francophone Minority Communities Steering Committee presented its strategic plan to promote immigration to those communities. The plan set nine priority activities for the next five years, dealing especially with support for local networks, language training, updating professional skills, creating micro-businesses and raising awareness in the local community about immigration. Now the following three new priorities are being added:

• integration into the labour market;
• commitment of employers;
• support to French-language postsecondary institutions with a view to recruiting and integrating international students.

These new priorities are the product of work by the Implementation Committee, created in January 2007. For more information, please consult the Strategic Plan to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities, under the Publications heading of the Resources section, at www.cic.gc.ca.

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