Mr. Speaker, our two official languages are an essential value and part of our Canadian identity.
This is why the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced yesterday that the Government of Canada would be giving an additional $70 million annually to promote linguistic duality.
The government is devoting its efforts to the optimum development of official language minority communities throughout the country.
This money will go to direct support for official language minority community groups as well as to encouraging the delivery of essential services such as health and job training and will also be used to reinforce minority language education and second language education.
This support helps more than 260,000 young people study in their first language, while 2.7 million are learning their second language. It ensures the further development of a network of 19 French language colleges and universities outside Quebec as well as 8 English colleges and universities in Quebec.
This money will enhance the vitality of English and of French, in accordance with the terms of sections 41 and 42 of the Official Languages Act.