SOURIS, PEI – March 7, 2013 – Business people attending the “Bilingual Advantage” Symposium in Souris Tuesday had the opportunity to learn about a wide range of services available to help them bilingualize their businesses.
During a round table session, various speakers explained the support services they offer:
- Mark Derry from Tourism PEI spoke about his department’s website translation program, which can cover up to 75 per cent of costs up to $750;
- Suzanne Buckland gave an overview of CAFÉ, the local francophone community organization that organizes French courses, activities, gatherings and festivals, encouraging participants to attend CAFÉ events to help improve and maintain their newly-acquired language;
- Réjeanne Arsenault from the Collège Acadie Î.-P.-É. gave an overview of available French-language training programs;
- Jana Allain-Boudreau from NB Translation explained her organization’s funding assistance program for translating promotional material, which covers up to 75 per cent of costs to a maximum of $8,000;
- Gerald Arsenault from Innovation PEI spoke of his department’s business development programs, loan programs and assistance programs for corporate promotional brochures;
- and Bonnie Gallant from RDÉE Prince Edward Island explained that this francophone economic council provides youth internships through its PERCÉ program, networking and learning opportunities through its Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce and business support services of all kinds through the bilingual Rural Action Centre in Wellington.
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CUTLINE: Round-table speakers at the Bilingual Advantage Symposium were, from left, Mark Derry from Tourism PEI, Suzanne Buckland from CAFE, Réjeanne Arsenault from the Collège Acadie Î.-P.-É., Jana Allain-Boudreau from NB Translation, Gerald Arsenault from Innovation PEI and Bonnie Gallant from RDÉE Prince Edward Island. Standing in the background is Christian Gallant from RDÉE PEI.