FRENCH-LANGUAGE SERVICES POLICY ANNUAL REPORT RELEASED

Over the last year the relationship with government and Saskatchewan's Francophone community was enriched by significant progress in immigration and employment.

Details were released today in the Annual Report for the French-language Services Policy. The Policy is a formal commitment by the province to enhancing French-language services and sets out service goals with respect to communication, service delivery and development and consultation.

"I am pleased with the progress that was made in consultation with the Francophone community this past year," Government Relations Minister Harry Van Mulligen said. "We were able to meet our promotional objectives in relation to Francophone immigration and we also enhanced an existing agreement for employment services that will help in promoting the province and recruiting workers."

Although Saskatchewan is not a bilingual province, it is part of a bilingual country and has constitutional obligations to offer French-language services in the areas of justice and education.

"The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to building healthy and dynamic Francophone communities across the province," Van Mulligen said. "And by continuing to work together we can ensure that the vitality of this community is strengthened."

The administration of the policy is the responsibility of the Office of French-language Co-ordination (OFLC) in the Department of Government Relations. OFLC provides French-language translation services to other departments and crown corporations and administers the Canada-Saskatchewan Agreement on French-language services.

Copies of the French-language Services Policy and the Annual Report are available on the Government Relations website at http://www.gr.gov.sk.ca/oflc/

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For more information, contact:

Gladys Wasylenchuk
Government Relations
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1370
Email: gwasylenchuk@gr.gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-529-8630