Government of Canada Invests in Embracing Differences Multiculturalism Outreach Project

REGINA, Saskatchewan, Aug. 30 -- Canadian Heritage issued the following news release:

The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Member of Parliament (Regina-Wascana), today announced new financial support for the Regina Multicultural Council. Minister Goodale made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism.

The Regina Multicultural Council will receive $200,000 in funding for their outreach project Embracing Differences. This funding will support the development of a cultural awareness program, engage Indigenous and ethnocultural resource workers, and provide instructional and learning resources to participating middle years classrooms in the Regina Public and Regina Catholic school divisions. Project activities will include monthly workshops and a culminating annual activity for each cycle of participating schools over the next three years.

More than 60 schools in Regina will be invited to take part in the project, which is aimed at increasing understanding, appreciation and respect for the diverse array of cultures that exist in Regina and the surrounding communities.

The funding is being provided over three years under the Projects component of the Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program.

Quotes

"Diversity and inclusion are the backbone of our Canadian identity, and that is why our government has invested an additional $45 million over the next three years to develop and support a new anti-racism strategy. These investments will help individuals and communities come together to better understand one another, and celebrate what makes us unique as Canadians."

--The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

"Projects like Embracing Differences are a perfect example of what it means to be Canadian: fostering diversity, inclusion and pluralism. Today's announcement is important for our youth and for Regina as we continue to work together to strengthen this great mosaic of a country we call home."

-- The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Member of Parliament (Regina-Wascana)

"The Regina Multicultural Council is extremely grateful for the funding which the federal government has chosen to invest in the Embracing Differences outreach project. With this funding, our organization will be able to engage the vast and diverse cultural community members of Regina so they may share their personal experiences and rich cultures with participating students who may have otherwise had no opportunity to connect with them. These experiences can be life-changing, permitting youth to learn about themselves from others, which helps build healthy self-concepts, intercultural understandings and bridges of respect between diverse cultures and religions--not just for a day, but for a lifetime."

-- John Findura, President, Regina Multicultural Council

Quick facts

The Regina Multicultural Council was established in 1965 as the Regina Folk Arts Council. Its mandate is to educate the public about different cultures and foster positive relations between communities through increasing public knowledge and appreciation of different ethnic groups' art, culture, language and traditions. The Council serves as an umbrella organization to more than 40 member groups representing about 15,000 people.

The Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program promotes a diverse and inclusive society. The program has three funding components: Events, Projects and Community Capacity Building. It also includes two separate initiatives, the Community Support for Black Canadian Youth initiative and the Paul Yuzyk Youth Initiative for Multiculturalism.

The Projects component provides funding for community development, anti-racism initiatives, and engagement projects that promote diversity and inclusion by encouraging interaction among community groups through projects that:

- encourage positive interaction between cultural, religious and ethnic communities in Canada; and

- promote the expression of Canadians' multiple identities.

To provide support for events and projects that help individuals and communities come together, the Government of Canada committed $23 million over two years in Budget 2018 to increase funding for the Multiculturalism Program. In addition to the $42 million committed in Budget 2018, Budget 2019 proposes an additional investment of $45 million over three years, to support Building a Foundation for Change: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022.