The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, announced funding for initiatives that will help to improve access to health care services for official language minority communities across Canada.

"Canada's New Government is committed to providing access to quality, integrated health care services to official language minority communities," said Minister Clement. "This funding responds to the health care needs of English-speaking minority communities in Quebec and French-speaking minority communities across the country outside Quebec. It will promote the sharing of information and the creation of stronger links between health partners, governments and communities. The outcome will be healthier communities."

Canada's New Government, through Health Canada, will make an investment of $4.5 million for initiatives and projects related to networking and the training and retention of health care professionals.

To enhance health care services for French-speaking communities across the country outside Quebec, $3 million will be provided to the Société Santé en français. To enhance health care services for English-speaking minority communities in Quebec, the Quebec Community Groups Network will receive $1.1 million, and McGill University will receive $400,000.

"This announcement clearly demonstrates the support of Canada's New Government for Anglophone and Francophone communities throughout the country," said the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages. "These funds will help improve the quality of health services offered in French and English minority language communities."

"The health of Francophone minority communities is clearly a priority for Minister Clement," said Dr. Bryan Conway, President of Société Santé en français' Board of Directors. "This investment is a concrete example which will allow the Société to pursue its activities and work towards improving access to health services in French throughout Canada."

Overall, Health Canada will have provided a total of $133.5 million, between 2003-04 and 2007-08, to official languages minority communities across the country in the context of the Action Plan for Official Languages.

Health Canada