The Government of Canada Launches Consultations on Linguistic Duality and Official Languages

MONCTON, December 3, 2007 – Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, Josée Verner, today launched consultations with Canadians on linguistic duality and Official Languages, and announced the appointment of Bernard Lord as special advisor to Minister Verner on these consultations.”The Government of Canada is undertaking these consultations in order to gather the views of Canadians on important issues related to linguistic duality and support for English and French minority language communities,” said Minister Verner. “These consultations will shape the development of the strategy to determine the next phase of the Action Plan for Official Languages.”

“I would like to thank the Right Honourable Stephen Harper and the Honourable Josée Verner for inviting me to act as a special advisor at these consultations,” said Mr. Lord. “The consultations will provide Canadians with an opportunity to make known their opinions about the ways in which our country can truly be a leader in linguistic diversity.”

Bernard Lord will chair and moderate the regional consultations that will take place during the first two weeks of December, in Halifax, Moncton, Montréal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver. Each consultation will bring together approximately 20 participants representing organizations interested in linguistic duality, official language communities living in minority situations, specialists in the area of official languages, representatives of the private and volunteer sectors, academics and researchers, and government observers.

Mr. Lord will present a report on the consultations to Minister Verner before the wrap-up event, scheduled for mid-January 2008, in Ottawa. At this event, Mr. Lord will accompany Minister Verner as she presents the results of the regional and online consultations.

All Canadians are invited to participate in the consultations by visiting the Canadian Heritage website and sending in their comments.

Information:

Dominic Gosselin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages
819 997-7788

Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101