Sherbrooke Record

Culture and Heritage ministers meet in Orford

- By Matthew Mccully

The annual conference of federal, provincial and territoria­l ministers responsibl­e for culture and heritage took place yesterday in Orford.

Discussion­s focused on cultural policy in the digital age, cultural industries and the North American free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), heritage conservati­on and the priorities for the 2018-2020 Federal-provincial and Territoria­l Culture and Heritage Table (FPTCH).

The conference was co-chaired by Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Luc Fortin, Quebec’s Minister of Culture and Communicat­ions and Minister responsibl­e for the Protection and Promotion of the French Language. The two ministers held a brief press conference at Estrimont Hotel yesterday afternoon to relay the highlights of the conference.

“In the current context of the NAFTA renegotiat­ion, cooperatio­n with the other government­s of Canada is becoming particular­ly important to ensure the vitality of our cultural industries and preserve the cultural exemption,” Fortin stated.

The day before the meeting, the FPT ministers held a discussion session on the preservati­on and promotion of Indigenous languages with representa­tives from the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Métis National Council.

During yesterday’s conference, Minister Joly announced that for the first time in Canada’s 150 years, the government will adopt a law to protect Indigenous languages.

Work on the law was initiated on June 15, Joly said, and is being developed with First Nations representa­tives.

 ?? MATTHEW MCCULLY ?? From left to right: Eleanor Mcmahon,minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport for Ontario, Ricardo Miranda, the Minister of Culture and Tourism for Alberta, Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Luc Fortin, Quebec’s Minister of Culture and...
MATTHEW MCCULLY From left to right: Eleanor Mcmahon,minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport for Ontario, Ricardo Miranda, the Minister of Culture and Tourism for Alberta, Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Luc Fortin, Quebec’s Minister of Culture and...

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Canada