AMBM President Ivan Normandeau issued the following statement regarding the agreement signed with the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM), on September 29, 2021:

We are particularly proud of this strengthened partnership with the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM). There is a French language school in all our bilingual municipalities and beyond. DSFM schools are anchors, determinants of vitality for our Francophone communities, rural and urban.

Our new agreement is aligned with our respective strategic plans.

Our member municipalities are demonstrating their willingness to actively participate in the vitality, prosperity and development of Manitoba’s Francophone community as front-line partners and as the level of government closest to citizens, the Francophone communities.

In addition, the implementation of our Municipal Economic Recovery Strategy will support French language education in Manitoba. This includes the development of municipal infrastructure and facilities to meet the needs of the Francophone community and to enhance rural connectivity.

By partnering with Manitoba’s bilingual municipal leadership, the DSFM is embodying the concept of the Citizen-Community School (“l’école communautaire citoyenne”), open to the community and vice versa.

The AMBM believes in the importance of building relevant and mutually beneficial collaborations for the benefit of our rural communities. This agreement is directly in line with the philosophy of the future Integrated Rural Development Strategy for the Manitoba Francophonie which is being led by the Société de la francophonie manitobaine (SFM) and in which we are actively participating.

Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, [email protected].