Honourable senators, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to a prominent member of Ontario’s francophone community, Rolande Faucher, who passed away on November 15 at the age of 84.

Rolande Faucher was born in Ottawa in 1941. She distinguished herself early in her career through her unwavering commitment to the advancement and vitality of Ontario’s francophone community. After spending some time in Kapuskasing in northern Ontario, she settled in Orléans and continued her work in the community.

Rolande Faucher left an indelible mark on the Mouvement d’implication francophone d’Orléans, or MIFO. As president, she professionalized the organization, led its first strategic planning process and contributed to the construction of the MIFO building, which instantly became a landmark for francophone culture in Orléans when it opened in 1985.

From 1988 to 1990, she served as president of the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario. A visionary and a woman of action, she helped strengthen the organization’s political and community influence during a crucial period for language rights in the province.

In 1993, she served as chair of the Council for Franco-Ontarian Education. She also served as an adviser to the Minister of Education on issues related to the entire educational continuum. In addition, she was one of the first people to argue in favour of “by and for” at the post-secondary level, pushing for the creation of an autonomous French-language university in Ontario.

Her many contributions are a testament to her commitment and generosity to her community over the years. She worked with Ontario’s Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs, the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages, the University of Ottawa’s Centre de recherche sur les francophonies canadiennes, or CRCCF, and La Nouvelle Scène. She also made a significant contribution as a Montfort Hospital board member during the high-profile legal challenge.

She wrote many important reports on accessing health care services in French, as well as a biography entitled Jean-Robert Gauthier : « Convaincre... sans révolution et sans haine », for which she received the Champlain Prize in 2009. Over the course of her career, she received many other accolades, including the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario, or AJEFO, Order of Merit, the Albert Régimbald award and the CRCCF award. She was also appointed a knight of the Ordre de la Pléiade. In 2014, she became an honorary member of the Réseau des services de santé en français de l’Est de l’Ontario.

By building, shaping and shoring up the institutions that Ontario’s francophone community relies on today, Rolande Faucher ensured that her work would endure so that coming generations could build a future based on a solid foundation. The organizations she shaped, the cultural spaces she expanded and the networks she built are also lasting reminders of her time with us.

Thanks to her, generations of Franco-Ontarians will be able to keep our language alive in every area of public life and nurture a strong and vibrant community that is confident in its future.

Rest in peace, dear Rolande.

Thank you.