Honourable senators, two days ago, on May 20, La Liberté, the only French-language newspaper in Manitoba, celebrated its 105th anniversary. That is quite the accomplishment, considering that almost all western media outlets are currently facing major challenges. Here in Canada, we were all shocked by La Presse’s decision to separate from Power Corporation and become a not-for-profit organization. It goes without saying that, large or small, francophone or anglophone, media outlets are facing tough times and, in most cases, they have not found a model that ensures profitability.

That challenge is magnified a hundredfold for minority francophone media outlets. Their audience is an official language minority community that is already in survival mode, and they will obviously have a much smaller customer base. They play a role in helping communities develop and they constitute a public space that helps promote the French language. It has been shown that the more French-language media francophones have in their environment, the more they speak French. There is no doubt that francophone media outlets provide a presence and connections that are essential to francophone identity and to the building of francophone identity in Manitoba.

La Liberté is not a luxury. It showcases Manitoba’s francophonie and its diversity. It gives a voice to Manitoba’s francophone and francophile communities. It features francophones who help highlight the stories, accents, and colours of the francophonie.

It goes without saying that when La Liberté was founded back in 1913, the newspaper played a key role in helping this community flourish. Today, it is indispensable to the community.