| Location | Dieppe, New Brunswick
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| Organization | Comité de la promotion du français et du patrimoine à Dieppe (CPFPD)
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| Description | The CPFPD, composed of residents and elected members of the Municipality of Dieppe, was created by the Municipal Council in 1992 in response to a request by residents. The committee's mandate is to promote services to clients and bilingualism in the community. Each fall since 2002, the CPFPD has conducted a bilingual services promotional campaign. Included in the services available to businesses are a bilingual glossary, a free translation service (20 words or less), French conversation courses and promotional materials including lapel pins, stickers and small bilingual signs.
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| Objectives | • Promote customer service and signage in French
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| Activities | | • | Promote the project to businesses | | • | Conduct a media awareness campaign | | • | Distribute a welcome kit to new businesses | | • | Issue certificates of recognition to businesses showing marked improvement in services | | • | Conduct a campaign to stimulate demand (among students in schools, for example) | | • | Prepare an electronic inventory of bilingual businesses | | |
| As part of a campaign to evaluate businesses in 2003, the Société des Acadiens et Acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick gave certificates of recognition to businesses that met the criteria for bilingual services, along with booby prizes given to those who would not "get with the program." The repercussions for the CPFPD were both positive and negative: some businesses did their best to avoid getting the booby prize, while others accused them of being "language police." | |
| Partners | • Municipal Council
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| Funding | • Municipal Council
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| Results | • Recognition of the importance of bilingual signage and service • Increase in signage and availability of bilingual services in the community • Economic benefits for businesses | Progress report | | Businesses | 2003 | 2005 | 2006 | | with French or bilingual signage inside | 16% | 39% | 57% | | with French or bilingual signage outside | 19% | 45% | 73% | | offering customer service in French | 28% | 74% | 74% |
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Ingredients
for success | | • | Youth as ambassadors | | • | Originality of projects, for example: | | | ► | Creation of a "J'apprends le français, parlez-moi" button to encourage the community to support learners | | | ► | A "May I be served in French" campaign among students aged 10 to 14. Coupons are given by young consumers expressing thanks to those who respond by providing the service in French
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| Challenges | | • | Franchises in which the specific language needs of the affiliates are not taken into account (lack of bilingual menus, posters, labels and advertising) | | • | Need for strategies to encourage Francophone consumers to request services in French | | • | Retention of qualified personnel in businesses
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| For additional information | http://www.dieppe.ca/home.cfm
Isabelle Leblanc
506-877-7918
isabelle.leblanc@dieppe.ca |
