Sudbury – Viviane Lapointe, MP for Sudbury, announced a FedNor investment of $37,343 in the Carrefour francophone de Sudbury. The investment enabled a two-day provincial francophone immigration network event, the Réseaux en immigration francophone (RIF) conference. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor.
The conference provided an opportunity for partners from across Ontario to discuss common issues, develop solutions, and capitalize on existing opportunities in francophone immigration. RIF participants included community organizations, municipal leaders, business owners and operators, and other government representatives and subject matter experts. The conference was held in French, but simultaneous translation into English fostered engagement from English-speaking partners.
In addition to the immediate economic benefits generated by the conference, this investment is anticipated to help create five new partnerships and strategic alliances to support the development of three regional plans and to strengthen and improve capacity within francophone communities while also improving immigration services. The ongoing development of immigration services will help meet the needs of communities, businesses, and newcomers.
“The Government of Canada is proud to support French language and culture, and we recognize that Francophones represent an important piece of the cultural fabric of Greater Sudbury and Northern Ontario. Carrefour francophone de Sudbury is an important, award-winning organization and has been so for over 70 years, and so supporting them means supporting our community.” – Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury
“Today, we’re giving a concrete boost to the people who are fighting to protect and promote the French language right here. French is at the heart of our region, our history and our future in Northern Ontario. Francophone communities in the area, and across the country, know it’s important to us, and they can count on us to support them.” – Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor