First National Francophone Immigration Week
From November 3 to 9, 2013, French-language communities across Canada celebrate the first edition of National Francophone Immigration Week.
An initiative of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadiennes du Canada (FCFA), this week-long celebration aims to promote Francophone immigration and diversity in Canada’s Francophone and Acadian communities. The initiative was launched last year in Atlantic Canada with Francophone Immigration Week in the Atlantic region.
With the inclusive title: Francophone immigration, diversity that brings us together, this week brings more than 100 activities to French-language communities across Canada to celebrate the contribution of immigrants to the vitality their communities. In Ontario, Sofifran will host many activities in the Niagara region in collaboration with the Réseau de soutien à l’immigration francophone, including various school activities in Welland and an exhibition entitled Facettes d’Haïti at Brock University. Many other events will take place in Hamilton, Toronto, Windsor, London and in the Durham region.
You can view the information about National Francophone Immigration Week and submit your events to the FCFA at www.immigrationfrancophone.ca/semaine2013. The FCFA invites everyone to follow their activities for the week on Facebook at www.facebook.com/immfrancophone and on Twitter (@FCFAimmigration).
I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight the fact that we still haven’t received an update from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration with regards to an action plan that would outline mechanisms of accountability on Francophone immigration. On November 6th, 2012, almost a year to this date, the ministry released the first Ontario Immigration Strategy. In this strategy, the government set a target of 5% on Francophone immigration and committed to providing annual reports on progress being made. I will continue to monitor this situation.
Meanwhile, I wish all of you a great National Francophone Immigration Week!