Marketing Campaign Encourages Usage of Government Services in French

Nova Scotia's Acadian and francophone community will be encouraged to use provincial government services available in French by a community marketing campaign.

Chris d'Entremont, Minister of Acadian Affairs, and James Moore, Secretary of State for Official Languages, announced funding for the marketing campaign called Ça se brasse chu nous, which means "We're shaking things up in our community" in English. The campaign will provide Acadians and francophones with information about services offered in French by the province.

Acadian Affairs and the Department of Canadian Heritage will each invest $60,000 to help the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse (FANE) to launch the campaign.

FANE represents the interests of Nova Scotia Acadians and French-speaking residents with lobbying efforts, community dialogue, consultations and research. It connects 26 regional, provincial and institutional member organizations.

"We're working closely with the Acadian and francophone community in Nova Scotia as we continue our efforts to increase government services in French," said Mr. d'Entremont. "Now we need to ensure that francophones know these services are available. This marketing campaign will encourage them to ask for service in French and communicate government's commitment to the province's Acadian and francophone culture."

"The government of Canada wants to ensure the success of members of Nova Scotia's francophone and Acadian community," said Mr. Moore. "I am delighted that the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia are working together to advance the use of French in the province.

"This collaboration shows our commitment to continuing to promote our country's linguistic duality, a commitment reaffirmed and expressed concretely in the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008–2013."

Nova Scotia is committed to improving its services in French. The province proclaimed the French-Language Services Act in 2004 and is implementing regulations to increase French service in priority areas. As a result, Nova Scotians may choose to renew vehicle permits online in French, speak with francophone operators at the government call centre and participate in more public consultations in French.

"The Acadian community is happy that government is now offering more services in French and now it's up to us to take full advantage," said Désiré Boudreau, president of FANE. "The marketing campaign should make the Acadian community aware of the services in French and encourage Acadians to avail themselves of these services."

The Department of Canadian Heritage funding is from the Development of Official-Language Communities Program. The program is designed to foster the vitality of Canada's French and English minority-language communities and to enable them to participate fully in all aspects of Canadian life.

For more information about the Development of Official-Language Communities Program and the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008–2013, visit www.canadianheritage.gc.ca .