Minister Fraser marks International Francophonie Day

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, issued the following statement.

Ottawa, March 20, 2023 — The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, issued the following statement:

“Today we are celebrating International Francophonie Day. This day is an opportunity to highlight the importance of the French language and official languages as parts of the Canadian fabric. Celebrating the Francophonie is an opportunity for all Canadians to support the global Francophone community and express their pride in promoting the French language, while contributing to the linguistic duality that characterizes our country.

“This year is an important year for the Francophonie in Canada. Recently, in 2022, we reached our objective in Francophone immigration. Achieving this target of 4.4% French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec is an incredible accomplishment since we welcomed in 2022 more Francophone newcomers than in recent years. This achievement is an important step in the promotion of the Francophonie in Canada, but we know there is still a lot of work to do to ensure its future in our country.

“Our ongoing efforts in immigration and active collaboration with multiple stakeholders have made it possible to reduce labour shortages and support the economy, while strengthening the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the communities to which Francophone newcomers contribute. These ongoing efforts and initiatives demonstrate the Government of Canada’s commitment not only to supporting the development and vitality of Francophone minority communities, but also to recognizing the contributions of the French language as one of the essential pillars of our Canadian identity.

“Now more than ever, the contributions of French-speaking newcomers are essential to enriching the cultural mosaic that shapes our country’s identity. On this International Francophonie Day, we encourage all Canadians to celebrate the richness of the Canadian Francophonie from coast to coast.”

Discover our Welcoming Francophone Communities and testimonials from immigrants who chose Canada to live their lives in French.

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