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QUEBEC – The Quebec government introduced its new Canadian Francophonie policy on Sunday, in which it proposes building a bridge between Quebec and French-speaking communities in Canada.And the Especially in the fields of economics and post-secondary research. La Belle Province will also hold a Canadian Francophonie Day in Quebec in honor of the novelist Gabrielle Roy.
This was announced by the Minister Responsible for Canadian Relations and Canadian Francophonie, Sonia Label, on International Francophonie Day.
“The idea is that we’ll be able to get to know each other better and that the nation of Quebec is better equipped to defend other francophones. We’ve seen it with the Acadians who have had that reaction to unite across regions and provinces.”
Legault’s government also intends to create a “French Responsible” label, which will bring together Francophone organizations for the benefit of the French language. This will make it possible to identify the entities in Quebec and Canada “mobilized to the influence of the French in everyday life”. More details will soon be provided by the Francophonie Center for Americans, which is leading this file.
“We have a responsibility because we are a minority in Canada and America to get to know each other better and support each other so that we can move forward” – Sonia Label
“It is important that it is a guarantee of quality and seriousness of the will of organizations and companies that will be able to order it, work in the French language and participate in the French vitality on their territory,” Sonia Label supports.
Politics titled For a strong, united and committed Francophonie, includes 80 concrete actions under a three-year plan. The Quebec government will double its financial support by 2024-2025 for an additional investment of $8 million over three years, for a total of $24.5 million.
“Even if we each have our own color and peculiarities associated with our land – in Quebec we are not all the same and we don’t all speak the same dialect – we have a responsibility because we are a minority in Canada and America to get to know each other better and support each other to be able to progress.”
Research collection in French
Minister Lebel stresses that this new agreement can benefit various sectors of society such as economy, culture and society with organizations. In particular, Quebec wants to offer more opportunities for internships and professional mobility between La Belle Province and the rest of French-speaking Canada.
“Universities will be invited to participate (…). We see that there is a large mobility of francophones all over Canada and we want Quebec to participate in that mobility and receive francophones. There has to be an exchange of experiences, so there will definitely be participation from universities that are very interested in doing so.”
The Association for the Promotion and Defense of Research in French (ACFAS) will also be responsible for “facilitating research in the French language” across Canada. To do this, the organization intends to create a French-language research assistant service that will provide “support in French to researchers working in the Francophone minority and who do not have access to it at their parent institution.”
Quebec French-Canadian Francophonie Day will fall on March 22nd, which is the birthday of Saint Boniface-born Gabrielle Roy who became one of the most important figures in Canadian and Quebec literature.
“Wherever we can talk about French and us together, I think it can allow us to move on,” said Ms. Leibel.
Five directions
This announcement follows the joint announcement with the Federation of Francophone and Acadian Communities (FCFA) last June following the Francophonie-Canadian Convergence Summit. Most recently, in November, the union signed a new agreement with the Quebec government, including the continuation of this annual meeting as well as the increase in new financial assistance.
The president of the French-speaking organization is pleased with what she believes represents a wind of renewal in the French-speaking province.
“It signals a really impressive change in the discourse of Quebec in the way it perceives its role from a Francophone-Canadian perspective. There is indeed a desire for rapprochement and solidarity. It is truly the first time that politicians have sought to engage the entire administration of Quebec in bringing the Francophone and Acadian communities closer together. Some,” praises Lian Rui.
The latter is also pleased with the new amount allocated, as well as the classification of actions as “ambitious”.
“Where we are asking ourselves the questions is that it is a very ambitious policy, so the key will really be to put the means into it for all the actions planned… We will just have to make sure that all the means are implemented. It is not clear today where the money will go and how it will be done.”
Legault’s government adopts this new policy on the basis of five directions, notably by promoting the desire to make Quebec and Francophone community organizations better known. Quebec also wants to create and strengthen economic relationships built around the French language as well as increase the visibility of Francophone culture.
- Promoting better mutual knowledge and greater mutual openness of the Francophone and Quebec communities
- Preserving the vitality of the Francophone and Akkadian societies
- Promoting French and Francophone cultures
- Shedding light on the contribution of the Francophone to Canadian society and economy
- Highlight the leadership of the Quebec government
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