Good morning, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
My name is Kimberly Fairman. I am senior advisor to the president of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, or CanNor, Mr. Patrick Borbey. I am accompanied by Mr. Yves Robineau, CanNor's Chief Financial Officer and Director of Corporate Services. He is also our official languages coordinator.
First of all, I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Official Languages for the invitation to appear here today to discuss CanNor's work as it relates to fostering the economic development of official languages minority communities in Canada's north.
Let me begin by briefly speaking to our agency's raison d'être.
Created in August 2009 with its headquarters in Iqaluit, CanNor is the only federal department with an exclusive mandate for Canada's three northern territories. With a presence in each territorial capital and a liaison office in Ottawa, CanNor works to help develop dynamic, diversified and sustainable economies north of the 60th parallel, while improving socio-economic outcomes for those who live and work in the north.
CanNor delivers a number of economic development programs, which focus on growing key areas of the northern economy, such as resource development, tourism, fisheries, cultural industries, as well as support and development of small and medium enterprises.
Two of CanNor's programs specifically apply to the francophone community. They are Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) and the Economic Development Initiative (EDI), as part of the renewed Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration, Communities.
As a designated institution under section 41 of the Official Languages Act, CanNor supports socio-economic development of official language minority communities across the north.
With 3% of the total northern population, the francophones are active participants in the local economy, experiencing high employment rates and higher than average levels of income.
Our agency has consistently engaged in close collaboration with francophone associations and francophone economic development organizations in the three territories. This collaboration allows us to understand and respond to economic development needs of official language minority communities.
Since its creation in 2009, CanNor has invested more than $2 million in francophone-related economic development projects across the territories through its SINED and EDI programs.
With CanNor's funding contributions, territorial francophone associations, together with their partners, are developing services and tools to support local employment, attracting investment from Quebec and France, as well as fostering economic integration of newcomers, entrepreneurship and community economic development.
CanNor supports the talent, experience and knowledge of its francophone community partners to contribute to social-economic development of francophones in Canada's north, creating opportunities for prosperity and a promising economic future.
Mr. Chair and members of the committee, thank you again for this invitation to appear before the Standing Committee on Official Languages. We would be pleased to answer your questions.