Ottawa, January 16, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Commissioner of Official Languages Re-establishes a Presence in Saskatchewan
The Commissioner of Official Languages, Graham Fraser, is pleased to announce the arrival of Jennifer Wessner as the Office of the Commissioner’s new Liaison Officer for Saskatchewan. The Liaison Officer will assist the Office of the Commissioner in fulfilling its mandate in the region, in particular by working with federal institutions and communities to ensure full respect for the linguistic rights of Canadians, promoting the equality of both official languages in an increasingly diverse society, and contributing to the vitality of official language minority communities.
“A greater presence on the ground will allow the Office of the Commissioner to continue the dialogue with institutions subject to the Official Languages Act and organizations that play a key role in the development of both of Saskatchewan’s official language communities,” said Commissioner Fraser. “I am confident that Ms. Wessner’s strong abilities will allow her to serve the region well.”
The Office of the Commissioner’s mandate in the region will be carried out in a spirit of co-operation, by encouraging dialogue between both official language communities and with federal institutions. This role will be especially relevant since successful application of the new Part VII of the Official Languages Act will depend on full co-operation between departments and communities in identifying and implementing positive measures geared to fostering their development.
Jennifer Wessner began her career at the University of Regina’s Institut français teaching French as a second language before joining the federal public service in 2003, where she performed duties related to official languages and access to information and privacy at the Canada Revenue Agency. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Regina and a master's degree in French from the University of British Columbia.
Ms. Wessner took on her new responsibilities on January 15, 2007, and she will work out of the Regina office, in co-operation with the Winnipeg regional office. She can be reached at 306-780-7866.
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For more information:
Robin Cantin
Manager, Media Relations
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
Telephone: 613-995-0374
Cellular: 613-324-0999
Toll-free: 1-877-996-6368
E-mail: robin.cantin@ocol-clo.gc.ca
Office of the Commissioner of
Official Languages in Saskatchewan
2220 12th Avenue, Room 120
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4P 0M8
306-780-7866
