Francophone communities and businesses in western Canada will benefit from Western Economic Diversification Canada's (WD) contribution to the Réseau francophone d'Amérique (RFA), an initiative that will create a national satellite network linking eighteen francophone and Acadian community radio stations across Canada.

During the official launch of the RFA today in Ottawa by the Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada, the Honourable Ron J. Duhamel, Secretary of State for Western Economic Diversification and Francophonie, announced funding of $50,000 to link two western francophone community radio stations to the satellite network.

"The RFA initiative will allow these community radio stations to share programming and enhance radio communications among the widely dispersed francophone communities in Canada," said Secretary of State Duhamel. "The RFA will also contribute to the vitality and the visibility of Francophone communities across Canada."

WD's funding covers the installation of satellite dishes and equipment that will allow CKXL (Saint-Boniface, Manitoba) and CKPR (Rivière-la-Paix, Alberta) to receive the RFA signal from the ANIK E1 satellite. The RFA will produce eight daily regional and national news bulletins and special contributions, broadcast programming from its member stations and coordinate national advertising campaigns.

Also present at the official opening, Mr. Mauril Bélanger, Parliamentary Secretary to Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, reminded the participants that Canadian Heritage contributed $900,000 to the initiative over the last two years. The RFA's launch coincides with the Année de la Francophonie canadienne and with the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. Human Resources Development Canada also contributed $288,370 to the initiative over that same period.

"These shared resources and the use of leading edge communications technology will not only allow the Francophone communities to network amongst themselves, but will also provide a means by which entrepreneurs and businesses can network and promote their products and services to Francophone communities across Canada," added Secretary of State Duhamel.

The stations that are being linked through the RFA project are existing, independent community radios, operated mostly by volunteers. The project will allow them to function as a network for the first time.

The RFA project is being supported by a number of departments, agencies and corporations, including Cancom, Canadian Heritage, Human Resources Development Canada, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, French CBC Radio and others.

Funding for the RFA project was provided for in the February 1999 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. This initiative is an example of how the federal government is prioritizing its spending to better serve Canadians by making efficient use of their tax dollars.

For additional information, contact:
 
David Gelinas
Press Secretary
Office of the Secretary of State
(Western Economic Diversification and Francophonie)
(613) 569-3105

Michel Loiselle
Communications Officer
Western Economic Diversification Canada
(Winnipeg, Manitoba)
(204) 983-3915WD