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THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ANNOUNCES ITS FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF AN
INITIATIVE FOR MINORITY FRANCOPHONE YOUTH
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, May 29, 2002 – The Minister of Canadian Heritage, the
Honourable Sheila Copps, and the President of the Privy Council, Minister of
Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister responsible for official languages files,
the Honourable Stéphane Dion, today announced the initiative Francophone
Youth and Community Futures. This initiative will help Francophone youth to
invest in the development of their communities in order to ensure their vitality
and sustainability.
Three foundations will be responsible for implementing the initiative, which
will receive $3.5 million in funding from Canadian Heritage. In the Atlantic
provinces, the Fondation des Jeux de l’Acadie will receive a grant of $1
million; the Fondation franco-ontarienne will receive $1.5 million for Ontario;
and Francofonds will receive $1 million to provide services to Francophone youth
in Western and Northern Canada. The initiative will run over a ten-year period.
"Youth is the force that drives the development of official-language
minority communities; with their commitment, we will be able to build strong and
dynamic communities", declared Minister Copps.
"The vitality of young Francophones is essential to the development of
their communities," said Minister Dion.
The foundations will use the funding to provide young Francophones in these
communities, aged 15 to 24, with activities that will strengthen their sense of
attachment to and full participation in the life of their communities.
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For information :
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Kerry Edmonds
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
Telephone: (8l9) 997-7788
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André Lamarre
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Stéphane Dion
Telephone: (613) 943-1838
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BACKGROUNDER
THE FRANCOPHONE YOUTH AND COMMUNITY FUTURES INITIATIVE
Enhanced partnership
Three existing community foundations have been chosen on the basis of the
following criteria:
- their capacity to serve all minority Francophone communities (Western
and Northern Canada, Ontario, and Eastern Canada);
- their experience in managing public and private funds;
- their motivation, energy and innovation.
Basic principles
In September 2002, each foundation will be required to submit a business
plan outlining the procedures, terms and conditions for managing the funding
over the 10-year life cycle of the initiative.
The plans will be developed in close cooperation with community resources
and will respect four main principles:
- For and by youth. Youth will have to be active participants in
the resource allocation decision-making process, through selection panels
or other direct participation mechanisms.
- Partnership / Leverage. Each proposed initiative will be required
to adopt a partnership format, with financial participation by the
affected community covering at least 25% of the project cost.
- Community building. The initiatives will have to be
complementary, building on one another for the good of the community and
the young people themselves.
- Accountability. The selection criteria will have to be
results-oriented and accountability-driven.
Information sharing
The foundations will produce an annual report on their activities and
achievements. Best practices will be shared with all community network
stakeholders and will be available on the websites of Canadian Heritage and
interested groups.
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