Charlie Greene, Chair of the Literacy Development Council, was interviewed by new Canadians learning to speak English. The students come from many different countries. They attend classes at the Association for New Canadians in St. John's.

1. What does the Literacy Development Council do?
   (Bhuwani Devi)
   
   In Newfoundland and Labrador, literacy levels are lower than they are in most other areas of Canada. This is partly because being able to read and write was not really important in the early days of the fishery. In those days, many people worked instead of going to school. They fished in the summer time, worked in the lumber woods and managed their lives without an education. Many were very successful.
   
   When the fishery failed in 1992, may people in Newfoundland and Labrador found themselves without jobs. To make matters worse, many of them did not have the reading skills they needed to retrain for other types of jobs. As a result, many could not find work. The federal government tried to help them get skills and training.
   
   The Literacy Development Council (LDC) was created in 1994 by the provincial government to support literacy activities in Newfoundland and Labrador. The LDC helps to organize activities that promote literacy, provides resources and information to literacy groups and provides financial support for literacy programs.
   
   
2. Why did you choose to work with Literacy and how long have you been working with this council? (Jella Juvkovic)
   
   My father was a person who read a lot. We were always reading. I left Newfoundland when I was young and moved to British Columbia. I remember many people telling jokes about other people and making comments about the literacy rate in this province. This was true of Ontario as well. I decided that I wanted to help people develop a love for learning. That is why I am involved as a volunteer with the Literacy Development Council. As a province, our literacy level is improving and there are many great success stories to be told.
   
   
3. Have you always worked with the Bank of Montreal?
   (Milica Markovic)
   
   When I was young, I wanted to be a hockey player but while playing hockey I had to work. I worked as a teacher, an economist, and a hospital administrator. When I found out I wasn't going to be a professional hockey player because I wasn't good enough, I became a banker!