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MINISTER DION ANNOUNCES THE CREATION OF THE NEW CANADIAN
INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON LINGUISTIC MINORITIES
MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, February 15, 2002 – The Honourable Stéphane
Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental
Affairs, announced that the Government of Canada will provide $10 million to the
endowment fund of the Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities.
The announcement was made in the presence of the
Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, Member of Parliament for
Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, Minister of Labour and Secretary of State for
Multiculturalism and the Status of Women, Mr. Dominic Leblanc, Member
of Parliament for Beauséjour-Petitcodiac, as well as
Mr. Yvon Fontaine, President of the Université de Moncton, of which
the new institute will be a part.
Noting the contribution of official-language minorities to the shaping of the
Canadian identity and to the influence of linguistic duality throughout the
country, Minister Dion said he was convinced of the importance of basing
policies to ensure the vitality of these communities on solid research. "Filling
the research and data gaps on crucial issues for French-speaking and
English-speaking minority communities will enable the different orders of
government to set priorities effectively," the Minister emphasized,
adding that the Institute "is in line with the approach advocated by the
Laurendeau-Dunton Commission back in the late 1960s."
Mr. Dion was delighted with the Government of Canada’s participation in the
creation of the new institute and said he is confident that it will become
"the focal point for the research community throughout Canada which has
a keen interest in French- and English-speaking communities evolving in a
minority context." He added that numerous universities, research
centres and academics from all regions of Canada have already formally supported
this project.
Mr. Dion pointed out that this major contribution reflects the Government of
Canada’s commitment to official-language minority communities and to the
promotion of linguistic duality. He then cited various Canadian Heritage
programs, financial assistance to community associations, and also collaboration
with the provincial and territorial governments to facilitate access to
education and to services for official-language minorities, as further
reflections of that commitment.
Mr. Dion affirmed as well that the Université de Moncton, "a
cornerstone of one of our most dynamic official-language minority communities,
which has made an outstanding contribution to their development" is
well prepared to welcome the new institute and he underlined the importance of
its contribution to the institute’s establishment and functioning.
"This will be a wonderful asset for our university and it is
certainly a great day for Canada’s linguistic communities, for the research
sector and for the Government of Canada" added Yvon Fontain, President
of the Université de Moncton.
In conclusion, the Minister said he was certain that the work of the Canadian
Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities "will guide Canadians in
what they can do together to ensure that official-language communities not only
survive, but flourish from coast to coast."
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For information :
André Lamarre
Special Assistant
Tel: (613) 943-1838
Fax: (613) 943-5553
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