OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 11/07/09 -- Ms. Shelly Glover, Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface and Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages, announced today the support of the Government of Canada for official-language minority communities.

Ms. Glover today attended the Lauriers de la PME gala, organized by the Reseau de developpement economique et d'employabilite (RDEE) du Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

"Our government is proud to support the activities of the RDEE and to contribute to the economic development of Francophone communities across the country," said Ms. Glover. "It is important to highlight and to recognize the efforts of those who contribute both to the economic development of their community and to the visibility of minority Francophone communities across Canada."

Ms. Glover used this opportunity to remind those present of the Government of Canada's commitments in the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013: Acting for the Future. The Roadmap reflects the results of the Government of Canada's consultations, as well as the work of other key stakeholders such as official-language minority communities, parliamentary committees and the Commissioner of Official Languages.

The Roadmap is an unprecedented government-wide investment of $1.1 billion over five years, based on two pillars: the participation of all Canadians in linguistic duality and support for official-language minority communities. It invests in priority areas such as health, justice, immigration, economic development, and arts and culture.

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada is a key player in supporting official-language minority communities, particularly through the Enabling Fund for Official-Language Minority Communities. The Enabling Fund is the cornerstone of our efforts to provide support to these communities in terms of employability and community economic development, and to promote linguistic duality across Canada.

The communities can also benefit from the Economic Development Initiative. This initiative meets regional economic development needs and allows for investments in innovation, entrepreneurship, partnerships and diversification of economic activities.

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.