Government recruiting for new Francophonie council

by Morinville News Staff

The government is looking for Albertans to help deliver on the province’s first French Policy by applying to join the Alberta Advisory Council on the Francophonie, a new council that will advise the Minister of Culture and Tourism, responsible for the Francophone Secretariat, on the implementation of Alberta’s French Policy.

More than 268,000 Albertans speak French, and more than 418,000 Albertans are of French/French-Canadian descent. Since the 2011 census, the government says Alberta’s francophone population has increased more than 12 per cent.

The province says the council will help ensure the francophone community is broadly represented and that French-speaking Albertans have a voice in the policy’s ongoing implementation.

“The French Policy was created to help improve government supports for Alberta’s diverse and fast-growing French-speaking population,” said Ricardo Miranda, Minister of Culture and Tourism in a media release, adding he encouraged interested Albertans to step up and join the council. “This is a great opportunity to advise the government on ways it can be more inclusive. Members will also help the province collaboratively deliver on the policy’s objectives to make life better for French-speaking Albertans.”

The council, which will be in place by the fall, will consist of 10 members drawn from a cross-section of people who can represent the diversity of Alberta’s francophone community.

The French Policy was announced by the government last June and outlines the guiding principles the province will use to help maintain existing and develop new French-language services and supports within available resources. The province says the policy also aims to promote greater recognition for the past and present contributions of Alberta’s Francophonie.

Deadline for applications is Feb. 28. Those interested can apply at boards.alberta.ca.

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