New Ontario Citizenship Curriculum Launched For Newcomers

     TORONTO, Oct. 16 /CNW/ - Newcomers are getting help to understand the

benefits and responsibilities of life in Ontario through a new citizenship

curriculum that will be offered to people enrolled in English and French as a

Second Language classes, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Mike

Colle announced today.

     "Understanding Ontario's culture and the responsibilities of citizenship

are important elements for newcomers to make a successful transition to their

new home," Colle said. "This curriculum will advance principles such as

freedom, equality and active participation in community such as voting or

volunteering."

     The new curriculum, which will be added to all citizenship classes in

early 2007, will teach newcomers about laws, history, geography, government

and responsible citizenship. The province has invested almost $100,000 to

develop the curriculum, which is currently being piloted in non-credit ESL/FSL

classes in six school boards: Toronto District School Board; Toronto Catholic

District School Board; Thames Valley District School Board; Waterloo Region

District School Board; Niagara Catholic District School Board; and,

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.

     The Ontario citizenship curriculum is one of several initiatives

undertaken by the McGuinty government to help newcomers integrate quickly into

life in Ontario. Other initiatives include:

     -   Investing more than $50 million each year for ESL and FSL classes for

         adult newcomers, through 39 school boards across the province

     -   Negotiating the first ever Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement,

         which quadruples federal spending on language training and settlement

         services to $920 million over five years

     -   Introducing Bill 124, the proposed Fair Access to Regulated

         Professions Act which, if passed, would help break down barriers to

         working in regulated professions by mandating fair, open and

         transparent registration practices

     -   Investing over $34 million in more than 60 bridge-training programs,

         helping more than 6,000 newcomers improve their language skills,

         prepare for exams and work in their field sooner, and

     -   Launching OntarioImmigration.ca, which provides information for

         newcomers on the job market, how to find work, settlement information

         and even how to get a driver's license.

     The announcement of the new citizenship curriculum pilot is part of the

province's recognition of national Citizenship Week, October 16 to 22.