Latest news with #Franco-Ontarian
Montreal Gazette
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Letters: Bilingual greetings shouldn't be shamed by CAQ government
Re: ' Language complaints soar in Quebec as English service eclipses concerns about signs ' (The Gazette, July 4) I often travel to Ottawa for work. When I stop in Casselman, a Franco-Ontarian bastion, I am greeted with 'Hello-Bonjour.' It's one thing to say everyone in Quebec is entitled to be greeted and served in French, as previous governments have, and quite another to attempt to shame businesses for also wanting to welcome clients in another language, as the Coalition Avenir Québec is doing. English is not a foreign language in Quebec, as much as some nationalists may like it to be. Jordan Black, Rosemont A caring response to an urgent need Re: ' 'I'm happy': From homeless to housed, tenants grateful for new Lachine facility ' (The Gazette, July 3) It was a pleasure to read about the Old Brewery Mission's Tenaquip Place. In a world where stories of hardship often dominate the headlines, it is deeply uplifting to see a project focused on compassion, community and hope. This complex is not just a structure — it's a sign we are capable of thoughtful, humane responses to urgent needs. We are at our best when we look out for one another. To those who made Tenaquip Place a reality, thank you for your vision and humanity. Elizabeth Bright, Côte-St-Luc Patriotism is a personal matter Re: ' Canadian pride isn't a betrayal of being a Quebecer ' (Robert Libman, June 28) It is infuriating that a nationalist commentator, as reported by Robert Libman, would try to negate what another person believes in by stating 'Canada is an artificial political structure.' The commentator also claims we can't be Canadian and Québécois at the same time. Perhaps they missed a recent Association for Canadian Studies poll that showed 82 per cent of Quebec respondents — believing a nation's 'members share a common culture, language and history' — felt 'they were part of the Canadian nation.' To harbour strong patriotic feelings for one's nation is fine, but to dismiss another's pride in a country you don't identify with is wrong-headed. Goldie Olszynko, Mile End NATO spending goal needs a rethink Re: ' Trump hedges on NATO pledge ' (NP Montreal, June 25); ' Ottawa pledges to ramp up NATO defence spending ' (NP Montreal, June 26) NATO's decision to raise member countries' defence spending to five per cent of GDP will pose serious difficulties for spending on domestic needs. The chief reasons given are the need to counter the increased threat posed by Russia and other hostile countries, and to match U.S. military expenditure in NATO. Yet according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia spent only US$149 billion on the military in 2024, while NATO countries collectively spent US$1,506 billion, with European NATO countries at US$454 billion. The U.S. spent only 3.38 per cent of GDP on defence in 2024. President Donald Trump has said the five per cent goal shouldn't apply to the U.S., but only to other NATO countries. For Canada to reach five per cent, it would have to increase its annual defence to $150 billion. This would probably result in significantly increased taxes, debt or severe cuts in domestic spending. Canada and other NATO countries should seriously reconsider this increase. Robert Hajaly, Montreal Submitting a letter to the editor Letters should be sent by email to letters@ We prioritize letters that respond to, or are inspired by, articles published by The Gazette. If you are responding to a specific article, let us know which one. Letters should be sent uniquely to us. The shorter they are — ideally, fewer than 200 words — the greater the chance of publication. Timing, clarity, factual accuracy and tone are all important, as is whether the writer has something new to add to the conversation. We reserve the right to edit and condense all letters. Care is taken to preserve the core of the writer's argument. Our policy is not to publish anonymous letters, those with pseudonyms or 'open letters' addressed to third parties. Letters are published with the author's full name and city or neighbourhood/borough of residence. Include a phone number and address to help verify identity; these will not be published. We will not indicate to you whether your letter will be published. If it has not been published within 10 days or so, it is not likely to be.
Hamilton Spectator
01-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Pôle entrepreneuriat – HEC Montréal and Collège Boréal launch new collaboration to support Francophone entrepreneurs
TORONTO, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ( Version Web ) Collège Boréal, in partnership with Pôle entrepreneuriat – HEC Montréal, is pleased to announce the official launch of the 'Innovation and Entrepreneurial Financing' project. This initiative is designed to support Francophone entrepreneurs in Ontario and foster collaboration with their counterparts in Quebec. With dignitaries from Ontario's Ministry of Francophone Affairs and the Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes in attendance, the event marks the beginning of a three-year initiative funded jointly by the governments of Quebec and Ontario in the amount of $60,000 under Canadian Francophonie support programs. The partnership between Collège Boréal and Pôle entrepreneuriat – HEC Montréal is structured around four key priorities: Held at Collège Boréal's Toronto campus, the launch also brought together entrepreneurs, business experts, and representatives from community organizations. Quotes 'Collège Boréal is delighted by this new collaboration with Pôle entrepreneuriat – HEC Montréal, which provides Toronto's Francophone business community with new opportunities for growth while encouraging the sharing of expertise and partnerships with Quebec entrepreneurs. We're also grateful to the governments of Quebec and Ontario who, by supporting our Desjardins Space for Innovation, Research and Incubation, are contributing to the vitality of Franco-Ontarian and Quebec businesses and inspiring the next generation of French-speaking entrepreneurs in our province.' Daniel Giroux – President of Collège Boréal 'Pôle entrepreneuriat – HEC Montréal is proud to partner with Collège Boréal to strengthen ties between the Francophone business ecosystems in Quebec and Ontario. This initiative will not only spark innovation and new growth opportunities on both sides but also foster a space for knowledge exchange, networking, and co-creation. We thank the Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes for its vital support of this promising initiative for the Francophone economic community.' Luis Felipe Martinez Cisneros – Full Professor, HEC Montréal Founder and Co-Director, Pôle entrepreneuriat – HEC Montréal Quick facts Related Links About Pôle entrepreneuriat – HEC Montréal Also known as La base entrepreneuriale HEC Montréal, Pôle entrepreneuriat – HEC Montréal is an innovation hub with a mission to inspire and propel the next generation of technology and impact-driven entrepreneurs in Quebec and beyond. It offers five entrepreneurial support programs, from pre-incubation to acceleration: Éclosion, Parcours Rémi-Marcoux, EntrePrism, Accélérateur Banque Nationale – HEC Montréal, and Envergure. Since the creation of these programs in 2013, La base has supported more than 750 entrepreneurs – about half of them women – created over 600 jobs, and hosted more than 675 events and activities for the entrepreneurial community. Information Benoît Clément Manager, Communications and Media Relations 705-560-6673, ext. 2722 Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
Ottawa Citizen
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Federal election 2025: Liberal Marie-France Lalonde leading in bid for third term
Liberal Marie-France Lalonde appeared bound for re-election in the riding of Orléans on Monday, marking her third federal election win in a row. Article content Article content With 11.5 per cent of polls reporting, Lalonde had 3,096 votes, exactly double the total of 1,548 for second-place Conservative candidate Steve Mansour. Article content The NDP's Oulai B. Goué was a distant third with 142 votes. Article content The riding, created as Carleton-Gloucester in 1987, had been Liberal from 1988 to 2006, then turned to the Conservatives with Royal Galipeau from 2006 to 2015. Article content Article content Liberal Andrew Leslie wrested the riding from Galipeau in 2015. In May 2019, Leslie announced his retirement from politics and did not seek re-election. Article content Article content Lalonde, a senior manager in the retirement homes sector, already had a lengthy political résumé by then. Article content In her first provincial election in 2014, Lalonde trounced Progressive Conservative candidate Andrew Lister in Ottawa-Orléans by more than 11,000 votes. She was the Liberal MPP for the riding from 2014 to 2019, serving as Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services and Minister of Government and Consumer Services and Minister of Francophone Affairs. Article content Only days after Leslie announced he would not seek re-election, Lalonde declared she was running for the federal seat, later resigning as MPP. In October 2019, she was elected as MP, winning more than 54 per cent of the vote, and she was re-elected in 2021 with almost 52 per cent of the vote. Article content Article content Lalonde said she was a proud Franco-Ontarian and defender of Francophone minority linguistic rights with a proven track record. Article content She argues there is a need to expand the federal footprint in Orléans and says she has worked to bring the Ottawa East Service Canada Centre and Passport Services office to Orléans, as well as 105 federal co-working spaces to Place d'Orléans.
Globe and Mail
04-04-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Expanding Collège Boréal's Ottawa campus to offer more French-language post-secondary programs in the nation's capital
Thanks to its new facilities, Collège Boréal is increasing access to high-quality programs in French and strengthening its collaborations. OTTAWA, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Web version) Collège Boréal officially opened its expanded campus at 233 Main Street in Ottawa today. During the event, Collège Boréal President Daniel Giroux and Ottawa Campus Director Daniel St-Louis unveiled a major expansion, increasing the campus size to over 13,000 square feet (1,200 square metres). This $4.5 million project was made possible through funding from the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, and the Government of Canada under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Minority-Language Education and Second Official-Language Instruction. Additionally, five new programs, unique in French-speaking Ontario, will be offered for the first time at the Ottawa campus, further increasing access to quality post-secondary programs in French. New facilities and state-of-the-art equipment Thanks to this expansion, Collège Boréal staff and students in Ottawa now have access to modern facilities and cutting-edge equipment, including: Five fully renovated classrooms A student success centre and an accessibility office A student lounge A new administrative area For the Veterinary Care Technician program: Two wet labs with state-of-the-art equipment An animal X-ray room equipped with new units Five new programs The expansion of Collège Boréal's Ottawa campus makes it possible to offer five additional programs unique to the region: Social Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management (Graduate Certificate) Fitness and Health Promotion Funeral Director Class 1 (Embalming) Funeral Director Class 2 (Non-Embalming) These programs complement the two already available at the Ottawa campus: Public Administration and Veterinary Care Technician. Quotes 'Collège Boréal's latest achievement would not have been possible without the support of the provincial and federal governments, as well as our community and academic partners in the greater Ottawa area. Thanks to their trust and contributions, Collège Boréal continues to work with other institutions in the college and university sector to expand access to post-secondary education in French and provide Franco-Ontarian youth with employment opportunities that match their diverse skills.' Daniel Giroux – President, Collège Boréal 'With its new facilities and programs, Collège Boréal in Ottawa aims to meet the expectations of employers in Eastern Ontario by providing them with the skilled, French-speaking, and bilingual workforce that our region particularly needs. Whether working in the public sector, private businesses, community or social organizations, our future graduates will strengthen their industries and boost our local economy.' Daniel St-Louis – Director, Collège Boréal's Ottawa Campus Quick facts Collège Boréal has been present in Eastern Ontario since 1999 (originally at the University of Guelph's Alfred campus), offering its Veterinary Care Technician program – the only one of its kind in French-speaking Ontario. Since relocating to Saint Paul University's campus in Ottawa in 2019, Collège Boréal has expanded its offerings, including a unique Public Administration program introduced in 2022. Related Links Collège Boréal in Ottawa will hold its next Open House on Saturday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Read Collège Boréal's 2025–2030 Strategic Plan More information about Collège Boréal in Ottawa Collège Boréal's Key Performance Indicators Information Benoît Clément Manager, Communications and Media Relations 705-560-6673, ext. 2722 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
