Charitable organizations such as Performers for Literacy (PFL)/Les Magiciens des Mots³ and ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation⁴, backed by the private sector, jumped on the literacy bandwagon in 1990 and devoted their attention to promoting literacy. PFL set as their goal to foster the development of a reading culture in Canada through the use of the media, national celebrities and community role models in their programs such as The Kids*Lit/Jeux*Contes (Performers for Literacy, 2004). Meanwhile, ABC CANADA initiated Family Literacy Day in 1999 (National Adult Literacy Database, 2003). This popular annual event, held each January, highlights for Canadians the importance of reading and engaging in literacy-related activities as a family(Dunsmuir, 2003).

Continuing appreciation of the significance of literacy for access to knowledge has kept literacy in the forefront in the new millennium. The federal government established the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network (CLLRNet) in 2001 as one of its Networks of Centres of Excellence. Their goals are to support research in improving children's language and literacy development, educate specialists in language and literacy in Canada and facilitate the dissemination of information to the relevant stakeholders (Wright & Sinai, 2003). CLLRNet research projects fall under one of the following themes: biological factors underlying the development of language and literacy skills; sensory processes and environment; language; literacy; and social, economic and program influences (Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network, 2004).

³ Performers for Literacy/Les Magiciens des Mots is a charitable Canadian organization which sponsors enjoyable activities to encourage a love of reading in children (Performers for Literacy, 2004).

⁴ ABC CANADA, a charitable Canadian literacy organization, promotes literacy through public awareness programs and campaigns, support of local literacy groups and research of literacy issues to provide information and guidance to the literacy field and ABC CANADA, campaigns (ABC CANADA, 2004).