September 27, 2005 Source: Laurentian University of Sudbury:
http://www.laurentian.ca/?file=newsrelease/2005/sept/sept27_ifo_e.php Experts to review Ontario 's French Language Services Act and the issue of language and constitutional rights of Franco-Ontarians From Thursday, September 29, to Saturday, October 1, researchers, students and Franco-Ontarian community leaders will converge on the Laurentian University campus to take part in a symposium entitled La Loi 8, la charte et l'avenir : l'épanouissement de la communauté franco-ontarienne ( The French Language Services Act , the Charter and its Future: The Development of the Franco-Ontarian Community.) Organized by the Institut franco-ontarien (IFO), a Laurentian University research centre, this symposium will provide a forum for legal experts specialized in language rights issues, social sciences experts, and members of the community to review the state of the French Language Services Act, assess its effectiveness at the judicial level, and discuss its impact in the years to come. Members of the media are invited to attend. Ontario 's French Language Services Act was adopted in 1986 and came into effect in 1989. It guarantees the right to receive provincial government services in French in designated areas. The symposium will begin with a reception on Thursday, September 29, at 7 p.m., in the Rotunda of the J.N. Desmarais Library. The Honorable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Culture and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, will deliver the opening remarks at 7:30 p.m. During the following two days, participants will take part in a series of discussions on themes related to the French Language Services Act, including education, government services, the follow-up to the hospital Montfort ruling, new language rights challenges, municipalities, health, and youth. All sessions will take place on the third floor of Laurentian Classroom Building. The following language rights experts will speak at the symposium: Dyane Adam, Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada; the Honourable Bernard Grandmaître, Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs at the time the French Language Services Act was adopted; Mariette Carrier-Fraser, former Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education of Ontario; and Ronald Caza, lawyer in the Ottawa legal firm Heenan Blaikie. Since its creation in 1976, IFO has organized numerous symposiums and conferences. It also supports research projects on French Ontario that contribute to the knowledge and understanding of Ontario . For more information, please visit the website http://laurentian.ca/ifo/loi_8/loi_8.htm or call Dr. Gratien Allaire, Director of Laurentian University's Institut franco-ontarien, at (705) 675-1151, ext. 5026 or 3218, or France Nadeau, Laurentian University's Institut franco-ontarien , at (705) 675-1151, ext. 4229. Reference:
Paul de la Riva
Public Affairs
Laurentian University
Sudbury, Ontario
(705) 675-1151, ext. 3406
pdelarivalaurentian.ca
www.laurentian.ca
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