The President of the AMBM and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Mr. Ivan Normandeau, issued the following statement at the opening of National Francophone Immigration Week, November 6 to 12, 2022:
During this 10th edition of National Francophone Immigration Week, Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities are joining thousands of Canadians and newcomers in celebrating the richness of cultural diversity and the contributions of immigrants from Francophone and Acadian communities.
Among the fundamental principles underlying our new Strategy to Support Economic Immigration in Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipalities, we aim to take a language-inclusive approach to immigration that values bilingualism, while applying a strong Francophone and regional lens.
In Manitoba, Francophone immigration has multiple, long-term benefits for the community, businesses, schools, community groups and cultural life in general.
All these people who choose to settle in our municipalities make them even stronger, more vibrant and open to the world. Our municipalities are actively engaged in creating the winning conditions to build even more welcoming communities. In particular, we are working on projects to improve transportation, connectivity and health infrastructure in many of our municipalities. We are also making concrete progress on affordable housing.
Much remains to be done on these major issues, particularly in rural areas, at a time when our member municipalities are facing multiple challenges (COVID-19 costs, inflation, labour shortages, probable recession, rising crime, etc.).
We believe that long-term solutions to creating welcoming communities can only be achieved through active and supportive collaboration among all orders of government, while strengthening the partnership with Manitoba’s Francophone community and its immigration-related support organizations.
Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities also aim to become living environments where social ties are forged, where belonging to the community takes root and harmonious living together is built. They celebrate and value immigrants and all the facets of their diversity that add to and enrich our own traditions for the benefit of all.
Appropriately, the theme of this 10th National Francophone Immigration Week is Our Traditions and Our Future. The AMBM invites everyone to participate in the many activities organized in the province, notably by the Accueil francophone and by the Réseau en immigration francophone (RIF) du Manitoba.
This week, we will also participate in the official launch of the White Paper on Francophone Immigration to Manitoba by Accueil francophone and the RIF du Manitoba. I would like to extend to them our full cooperation in the implementation of their winning policies and strategies to propel Francophone immigration to Manitoba.
I would also like to congratulate the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) du Canada for ensuring the national coordination of this important national week, as well as the RIF du Manitoba for its provincial leadership during this important event.
I would also like to highlight the extraordinary work done by the key players in the Francophone immigration continuum in the province of Manitoba. Together with our municipalities, they help make Manitoba a welcoming place of choice and nurture an inclusive and rewarding way of life for all. You have our gratitude.
Together, let’s pursue mobilizing actions to create conditions that are favourable to the reception and inclusiveness of immigrants in our communities.
Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, [email protected].
