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The Government of Canada Supports Canadian University Students in Second Official Language Learning

Burnaby, October 14, 2009 – Andrew Saxton, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board, announced today, on behalf of the Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, that 11 Canadian universities across the country will be benefiting from the Canada School of Public Service's three year pilot initiative on second language training.

The University of Waterloo, Carleton University, University of Victoria, Glendon College, (York University), Université Ste-Anne, the Public Administration University (ENAP), the University of Ottawa, the University of Regina, the University of Toronto, Saint-Jean Campus (University of Alberta) and Simon Fraser University have been selected through a call for proposal to take part in this leading-edge initiative.

"The Government of Canada is delivering on its official language commitments. I am pleased to announce that the students of these Canadian universities will benefit from the Canada School of Public Service language training tools and products to support their pursuit of learning a second official language", said Andrew Saxton.

Through the Roadmap for Linguistic Duality in Canada 2008-2013: Acting for the Future, an investment of $1.1 billion over five years, the Canada School of Public Service launched an initiative to provide access to official language training products to selected Canadian Universities. The Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality is a government-wide commitment directed at strengthening the vitality of official-language minority communities and at encouraging linguistic duality among Canadians.

The Canada School of Public Service has developed a strong and recognized expertise in second language acquisition and maintenance to assist and support federal public servants and adult learners in general.

Through this pilot initiative, the Canada School of Public Service will share on-line language training tools and products with selected Canadian universities. It includes leading-edge technologies, language evaluation simulation and assessments and interactive tools designed to improve comprehension, pronunciation, grammar and writing skills.

This initiative is strengthening partnerships between the federal government and Canadian universities and gives students a better understanding of the advantages of linguistic duality in our country. It will also foster more graduates who are meeting the Public Service official language requirement and also support Public Service Renewal.

All Canadian universities and Canadian university colleges meeting the initiative criteria were eligible to apply to this initiative. They were evaluated and selected against the initiative's criteria.

Created in April 2004, the Canada School of Public Service is a departmental corporation responsible for the common learning and skills development needs of federal public servants.

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For further information, the media may contact:

Christine Csversko
Director of Communications
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
613-957-2666

Véronique Bruneau
Manager of Communications
Canada School of Public Service
613-943-5620

For questions on the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013 in Canada: Acting for the Future, please contact:

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca