VICTORIA, March 14, 2009 - The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today took part in the Victoria French Fest and announced funding for the Société francophone de Victoria to hold this annual public event.
Victoria French Fest, which is taking place from March 12 to 15, offers fun and entertainment for the whole family and is an opportunity for Victoria's Francophones and Francophiles to celebrate their culture and heritage by taking part in artistic, musical, and film activities and by discovering the creations of local artisans.
"Supporting French Fest allows our Government to contribute to the objectives outlined in our
Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality. In this way, we are encouraging British Columbians and all Canadians to take part in our country's linguistic duality," said Minister Moore. He went on to state that 2009 marks the 40
th anniversary of the coming into effect of the
Official Languages Act.
"In the spirit of the celebrations, the region's Francophones and Francophiles will be demonstrating their joie de vivre," said Yves Hébert, Executive Director of the Société francophone de Victoria. "Once again, our culture's unique and contagious vivacity is going to be felt throughout the downtown area. The French language and culture get people's hearts beating. They are an integral part of our wonderful history and traditions."
Since 1941, the mission of the Société francophone de Victoria has been to promote, represent, and protect the French language and culture in Victoria and its suburbs, and to bring together the community and support institutions that respond to the needs and interests of Francophones.
The Government of Canada has provided funding of $10,200 through the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program, announced in September 2007, provides Canadians with more opportunities to take part in events and activities that present local arts and culture and celebrate local history and heritage.
Funding of $35,000 has also been provided under the Cooperation with the Community Sector of Canadian Heritage's Development of Official-Language Communities Program. As with the
Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013: Acting for the Future, announced on June 19, 2008, the Government of Canada's support for this project reaffirms its commitment to linguistic duality and the vitality of official-language minority communities. The Roadmap is an unprecedented government-wide investment of $1.1 billion over five years.
