Canada announces multicultural network (04/30/00)

Canada announces multicultural network

OTTAWA - Hedy Fry, Canada's secretary of state for multiculturalism and the status of women, and Mac Harb, member of Parliament for Ottawa Center, on April 18 announced funding of $110,000 to the Canadian Ethnocultural Council (CEC) for the creation of a Multicultural Information Network and Clearinghouse.

"This project will effectively expand the resources available to many ethnic communities," said Dr. Fry. "The government of Canada is dedicated to supporting efforts to promote, preserve and enhance multiculturalism in Canada. I am confident that the resources created by this CEC project will make a real difference in ethnocultural communities and will contribute to building a more inclusive and diverse Canadian society."

The network project enables the CEC to better represent its grassroots membership by increasing its capacity for interactive communications with member groups and by facilitating their input into decision-making. The project also allows the organization to generate revenue through an e-commerce track used by service providers to Canadian ethnocultural communities, including legal and immigration services, specialty food producers, religious organizations, ethno-specific health care providers, translators, ethnic media and publishers.

The CEC is a non-profit umbrella organization representing a cross-section of ethnocultural groups across Canada. Its objectives include ensuring the preservation and enhancement of Canada's cultural heritage, the removal of barriers that prevent some Canadians from participating fully and equally in society, the elimination of racism and the preservation of a united Canada.

The funding was provided by the Multiculturalism Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Funding for this project was provided in the February 2000 budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.

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