Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - July 2009
The Canadian Government has given $9.5 million to fund language training for immigrants in Calgary, Alberta.
While in town to announce the funding, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney reiterated his hard-line stance that the onus is on immigrants to learn one of Canada’s two official languages.
“Newcomers have a right to be different, but a duty to integrate,” said Kenney. “We want people to be Canadians first and foremost, to be proud of and maintain their own tradition and heritage, but not at the price of developing Canadian identity.”
Currently, only about one-fourth of Canadian immigrants are taking language courses upon arrival to the country. Not learning English or French can result in seclusion of ethnic communities and often keeps immigrants in low-skilled employment.
Recently, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, under Minister Kenney has been calling on immigrants to step up their language skills to help improve their own integration process.
Source: The Calgary Herald
