Statement from Minister Zack Bell on Acadian and francophone community tour
Minister responsible for Acadian and Francophone Affairs Zack Bell, issued the following statement at the conclusion of his community tour with Acadians, Francophones, and Francophiles:
“One of the most important first things for me to do in my role as the Minister responsible for Acadian and Francophone Affairs was to get out to the Island’s six Acadian and francophone regions and to hear directly from the people who choose to live in French, and that’s precisely what I did the last few months.
It was a great opportunity to immerse myself in the community, to meet with Acadians, Francophones and Francophiles, and to hear directly from them about what matters most to them and what is needed to ensure that the Acadian and francophone community, as well as the French language can continue to thrive across PEI.
The top concerns raised by participants focused on access to French-language healthcare and government services; the importance of early childhood and K-12 education to support the vitality of the community; the key role community organizations, in particular school-community centres, play in the Acadian and Francophone community; the importance of Francophone immigration and a sustainable bilingual workforce to support the community’s development; and the importance of the French language and the community’s visibility in Island life.
Of the numerous conversations I’ve had over the past few months, community members have consistently raised priorities that would be familiar to many Islanders: access to healthcare, education, and a sustainable workforce.
What made the conversations particularly distinct was the clear message of how important it is to be able to access these services in French while living in a language minority situation. They stressed how valuable it is for their day-to-day and overall vitality of the community to be able to live, work, and participate fully and meaningfully in the language of their choice, no matter where they live on the Island. These conversations were also incredibly informative as they reinforced the priorities that have been consistently identified by the Acadian and Francophone Community Advisory Committee, including their most recent report on the priorities of the community.
I want to thank everyone who came out and took time to share their vision of a vibrant, dynamic Acadian and Francophone community in PEI. The level of engagement, vision, and commitment to a future where anyone who wants to live in French can do so on the Island was evident.
The work ahead for government is to continue our support for the Acadian and Francophone community, and to help my colleagues ensure that the priority needs of the community are taken into consideration in their work.
Thanks to this tour, I am now better equipped to help my government support the Acadian and Francophone community and to help my colleagues ensure that the needs and priorities of the community are taken into consideration in their work to make sure every Islander can thrive on PEI.”
Media contacts:
Vicki Tse
Bilingual Senior Communications Officer
[email protected]