Statement made on 16 June 2009 by Senator Lorna Milne (retired)
Hon. Lorna Milne:
Honourable senators, I rise to congratulate my home city of Brampton. Brampton is a dynamic, multicultural place. It is home to a large and growing number of newcomers to Canada, who represent more than 175 distinct cultures and speak more than 70 languages.
In the 2006 Census, over 57 per cent of the total population of Brampton described themselves as visible minorities, and that number continues to grow. In fact, I am the visible minority in Brampton. I am proud to say that Brampton is a shining example of how much richer our cities and communities are because of Canada's diverse multicultural mosaic.
In recognizing the need to serve this diverse community, the City of Brampton has created a Multilingual Services Program, consisting of both interpretation and translation services. This program targets the needs of those who speak limited English, who are typically newcomers to Canada, as they settle into and integrate into the community. It is a bridging solution, allowing full access to municipal goods and services while the newcomers build proficiency in English.
A telephone interpretation service is now available in more than 150 languages, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Translations of key selected documents will be available on the city's website soon in order to increase access to city service information.
The program also includes outreach activities, targeting newcomer communities. One such initiative is the new Emergency Services Introduction to New Canadians Program, ESINC, which introduces newcomers to Brampton's various emergency services. It is a joint effort between the City of Brampton, Peel Regional Police and Peel Paramedic Services. Uniformed and non-uniformed emergency services personnel deliver cooperative presentations on how to prepare for an emergency, who to contact in the event of an emergency, including an overview of 911, and what to expect from service providers when an emergency occurs. Handouts contain numerous crime, fire and accident prevention tips.
I salute the hard work and efforts of the City of Brampton to make this valuable resource available to all members of the community and to make Brampton a more accessible, open and welcoming community to everyone, especially our newest residents.