Acadian Affairs Minister Touts New French-Speaking Immigrant Strategy

HALIFAX - If Nova Scotia's Minister Responsible for the Office of Acadian Affairs has his way, the province will not only meet national targets for French-speaking immigration by 2025, it will also exceed the federal government's projections.

Colton LeBlanc spoke to Roundtable host Adam Cooke as part of the series' regular segment "The Front Porch," which zeroes in on newcomers, immigrants, and cultural diversity within the Strait of Canso.

Only days after joining forces with Labour, Skills and Immigration Minister Jill Balser to unveil the province's newest immigration strategy in the District of Clare in Digby County, LeBlanc declared that the province aims to bring a higher percentage of French-speaking immigrants to Nova Scotia than the current national average of 4.4 per cent. This figure includes the recent invitation of 150 Francophone candidates in the federal Express Entry system to apply to Nova Scotia's Labour Market Priorities stream of the Provincial Nominee Program. 

As well, this week's edition of Roundtable features the reaction of Richmond municipal officials to a November 10 announcement in nearby Port Hawkesbury by Cape Breton-Canso Liberal Member of Parliament Mike Kelloway regarding wind-energy development in Nova Scotia. Speaking on behalf of federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, Kelloway announced an investment of nearly $1.8 million to lay the foundation for new Nova Scotia offshore wind projects. The federal Net Zero Atlantic program and the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq will also contribute to the project, bringing the total investment to nearly $1.9 million. 

Addressing the issue at the start of Richmond Municipal Council's recent Committee of the Whole meeting, Warden Amanda Mombourquette - who co-chairs the Strait Area Wind Energy Task Force with Port Hawkesbury Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton - said the Strait's growing stake in wind energy and green hydrogen development in Nova Scotia was recognized during the Kelloway announcement by Chief Terry Paul of Membertou First Nation, who was also present at the Port Hawkesbury event on November 10.