Member of Parliament Robert Goguen Announces the Creation of a New Reading Club in New Brunswick

MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK--(Marketwired - March 12, 2015) - Department of Canadian Heritage

Robert Goguen, Member of Parliament (Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe), on behalf of the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced the creation of a new reading club. The project, called The Reading Club/Le Club des lecteurs, is an initiative of the Frye Festival, which has been held in the Atlantic region for 15 years.

The Reading Club/Le Club des lecteurs is being funded through the Promotion of Linguistic Duality component of the Enhancement of Official Languages Program. It is receiving $10,000 in support from the Government of Canada to introduce activities that will allow for greater interaction between New Brunswick's two linguistic communities. It will also raise awareness among young people of the importance of reading in both official languages.

Three free, bilingual literary meetings with a total of 120 participants will take place from July 2015 to May 2016. Six books will be featured, and the learning environment will include activities inspired by the selected books.

Quick Facts

• The six books selected will be provided free of charge to participants from underprivileged backgrounds.
• Francophone, Anglophone and bilingual participants will be recruited through the Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award program held in the province's schools.
• This year, the Frye Festival will take place in Moncton from April 25 to May 3.

Quotes

"Our Government has a vision and an ambitious plan to ensure that Canadians can make the most of our two official languages, in particular through the Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages. English and French are part of our history and our identity, and literature is an excellent way to take advantage of their richness."

-The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

"The Reading Club project is relevant in many ways. In addition to bringing New Brunswick's two linguistic communities together, it encourages young people to read and gives them access to Canada's wealth of culture."

-Robert Goguen, Member of Parliament (Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe)

"The Government of Canada is one of the Frye Festival's long-standing partners. The Reading Club will become the fifth component of our School-Youth Program, which focuses on developing a culture of learning among students in New Brunswick. By allowing young people to experience linguistic duality in a fun and enriching environment, the Frye Festival is highlighting its bilingual character and is continuing to promote interaction and dialogue between the two official-language communities."

-Danielle LeBlanc, Executive Director, Frye Festival

Associated Links

The Frye Festival

Enhancement of Official Languages Program

Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award

Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018

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