Document Information

Date: 1978-02-23
By: Secretariat of the Conference
Citation: Premiers’ Conference, Communiqué of the Conference, Doc 850-9/007 (Montreal: 23 February 1978).
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Click here to view the original document (PDF).

DOCUMENT: 850-9/007

PREMIERS CONFERENCE

Communiqué of the Conference

Montreal
February 23, 1978

LANGUAGE

Recognizing their concern for the maintenance and development of minority language education rights throughout Canada as expressed in St. Andrews and recognizing that education is the foundation on which language and culture rest;

The Premiers took note of the significant progress accomplished during the last years, as highlighted in the Ministers of Education’s report and further recognize the need for continued progress.

The Premiers reaffirm their intention to make their best efforts to provide education to their English or French speaking minorities, and in order to ensure appropriate levels of services they also agree that the following principles should govern the availability of, as well as the accessibility to, such services;

(i) Each child of the French-speaking or English-speaking minority is entitled to an education in his or her language in the primary or the secondary schools in each province wherever numbers warrant

(ii) It is understood, due to exclusive jurisdiction of provincial governments in the field of education, and due also to wide cultural and demographic differences, that the implementation of the foregoing principle would be.as defined by each province.

The Premiers requested the Council of Ministers of Education to assume the responsibility to suggest ways and means of achieving further progress in minority language education and second language instruction consistent with the progress thus far made.

GOVERNMENT PURCHASING

The Premiers agreed to ask their ministers responsible for government purchasing to assess the present status of provincial preferences and to report to the next meeting of the Premiers in Saskatchewan

TRUCKING

The Premiers agreed to ask their ministers responsible for motor carrier regulations to meet and report to them in Saskatchewan on the advisibility of more uniform regulations where applicable in order to facilitate interprovincial trucking.

PREMIERS CONFERENCES

The Premiers agreed on the establishment of a small support staff to prepare policy positions for discussion at future interprovincial meetings of Premiers. They acknowledged the excellent service that is being provided for federal-provincial and interprovincial meetings by the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat.