Francophone Activities in October

Honourable senators, allow me to offer my condolences to the families affected by this tragedy. I don’t want to make comparisons between our two situations, of course, but as an Acadian descended from a people that has faced many kinds of discrimination for its language and culture, I am acutely aware of how important it is to make connections to bring us closer together.

On a lighter note, the Canadian francophonie celebrated several events this month that I’d like to tell you about. You know how important the French language is to Canada’s future, both domestically and internationally, and how important it is to modernize the Official Languages Act, which will be 50 years old in 2019. The Official Languages Committee is pleased to have tabled its second report on the topic this week.

On October 11 and 12, the seventeenth Francophonie Summit took place in Yerevan, Armenia. Since Ontario was recently granted observer status, Canada now has four seats on the International Organisation of La Francophonie, or OIF, given that New Brunswick, Quebec and Canada have been full members with voting rights since the organization was founded.

The OIF’s mission is to embody the much-needed active solidarity between its 88 member states and governments, which include 61 members and 27 observers. Canada, Quebec, Acadia and French-speaking Canadians play an important role in that. I would like to thank Michaëlle Jean for her important contribution to this organization, particularly in defending and promoting the rights of women and girls.

I would especially like to congratulate Louisiana for joining the OIF as a new observer. Thanks to the hard work of our Cajun cousins, Acadia and the Americas will have an even stronger presence in this major international forum.

The American francophonie, whether Quebec, Acadia, or Canada’s francophone community, is a welcoming place that promotes communication and solidarity within this great French-speaking world and supports its development. One need only think of the Francophonie Summit that was held in Moncton and the upcoming Francophonie Games, which will take place in the Moncton-Dieppe area in 2021.

To all those who claim — and I am referring here to a certain novelist — that the Canadian francophonie is in survival mode and on the verge of extinction, I would say that it is clear that such is not the case. The Canadian francophonie is a key player that is participating more actively than ever in the growth and solidarity of our country’s peoples.

In closing, I would like to congratulate all of the artists who participated in the fortieth ADISQ gala, which aired on Radio-Canada on Sunday. Their creativity and open-mindedness builds bridges with all francophones in every country and all peoples of the world.

I thank them, and I thank you for your attention.