“Today, we are proud to celebrate the International Day of La Francophonie. This day is an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate the linguistic duality that is at the heart of our national identity, and to reflect on the importance of the French language that links us to so many communities around the world. It’s also an opportunity to highlight the importance of Frenchspeaking newcomers who choose to settle in Canada, and who are essential to the economic, cultural and linguistic development of their new communities.”