Report On The Consultation Meetings With Acadian And Francophone Communities In The Atlantic Provinces PDF Download

It is obvious that the Francophone community on Prince Edward Island has evolved significantly because of the many changes in society over the years, and it is also obvious that this community of "French speakers" is still evolving. The government of Prince Edward Island recognizes that the linguistic landscape of Prince Edward Island has changed fundamentally in the last four decades. This major transformation wasn't brought on by this government alone, or even by the combined actions of different public administrations. In reality, a social change has taken place in families, schools, community organizations and all Island communities. Moreover, today increasing numbers of Anglophones on Prince Edward Island speak French because they recognize the importance of knowing both of the country's official languages. The government of Prince Edward Island increasingly recognizes the magnitude of the value of the Francophone community in the province. The Island Francophone community's contribution to and potential for the development of the province are more often seen at their true value. A Francophone community that is stronger culturally and economically can only increase its contribution. The citizens of the province also recognize more today the value of linguistic duality and of a flourishing Francophone community in their province. This is what motivated the government in 2009 to respond to calls from the Acadian and Francophone community to join it in developing a strategic plan for the ongoing development of the Island Francophone community. It is from this perspective that the government of Prince Edward Island and the Acadian and Francophone community (AFC) formed the Joint Working Group (JWG) to establish a joint development plan for the Island Acadian and Francophone community. While it respected community independence in choosing what to do, the provincial government took on a leadership role and coordinated the JWG's efforts. This report gives the background of the joint initiative and describes the effects of the relationship between the provincial government and the AFC. It gives a clear idea of the JWG's mandate and final objective and indicates the main stakeholders who contributed to the planning. The last section of the background information presents a broad overview of the findings and issues related to demographics, identity and diversity, and the achievements of both parties. This document also describes the shared perspectives of the provincial government and the AFC, especially regarding the latter's priorities and the strategic orientations targeted by the plan. The last part of the document contains recommendations for implementing the strategic actions in the plan.