Public Servants Honoured for Outstanding Development, Delivery of French-language Services

The province's public servants continue to enhance French-language services for Nova Scotia's Acadian and francophone community.

Acadian Affairs Minister David Wilson was joined today, Feb. 26, by community partners and colleagues from across the public service to present three provincial government employees with the Bonjour! Award for Excellence in French-language Services.

"Every day, provincial public servants work with our partners, and within their departments and agencies, to develop and deliver valuable French-language services for Nova Scotia's Acadian and francophone community," said Mr. Wilson. "Congratulations to all of this year's recipients and nominees for setting an excellent example of what it takes to go above and beyond to provide services in French."

This year's award recipients are:

• Jennifer Evans, for Excellence in Leadership
• Maggie Hope-Simpson, for Excellence in Program Development
• Michael Warner, for Excellence in Service Delivery to the Public

Jennifer Evans is the provincial librarian at the Department of Communities Culture and Heritage. She is being recognized for her leadership in establishing a partnership between the Provincial Library, Acadian Affairs, and the regional library boards to enhance the services offered by public libraries in French.

Maggie Hope-Simpson, as an adult education co-ordinator with the Department of Labour and Advanced Education, supported the development of high quality adult literacy programs for Nova Scotia's Acadian and francophone community.

Michael Warner is a program officer with the Department of Labour and Advanced Education. He helped analyze and interpret materials in French to support the Employment Nova Scotia Transformation Team in serving Nova Scotia's Acadian and francophone population.

"L’Équipe d’alphabétisation-Nouvelle-Écosse is very grateful for the services offered and received in French from the Department of Labour and Advanced Education," said Ghislaine d’Eon, Directrice générale. "We wish to congratulate and thank the department for its continued support and initiatives."

In addition, the province recognized four former French-language coordinators for their past work enhancing French-language services for Nova Scotians:

• Adriana Hess, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture
• Margaret Ann Bruhier, Department of Seniors
• Janet McKinnon, Office of the Ombudsman, Retired
• Jacques Pelletier, Department of Labour and Advanced Education

This is the fourth year for the Bonjour! Awards for Excellence in French-language Services. Nominations for the 2014 awards will be accepted in the fall.

Nova Scotians can follow the province in French on Twitter @GouvNE .