In October 2018, in the package Everyone is talking about it (TLMEPAt Radio-Canada, our late colleague Denis Bombardier caused a stir in French-speaking communities in other parts of Canada.
His verdict: “Throughout Canada, almost all French-speaking communities have disappeared. A few remain in Ontario. In Manitoba, I went back in January to visit the Metis there. We don't speak French anymore.
The announcement was a slap in the face to many, including Chloé Freynet-Gagné, the daughter of a family of French-speaking “resistance fighters” from Manitoba's Saint-Boniface district.
Immediately, she had the idea to invite Denise Bombardier to visit her home to show that Manitoban francophone was indeed alive. A few months later the meeting took place. This is one of the strongest elements of a great documentary Denis in the country of the FrancosAired in 2019.
Unity
When I visited Manitoba last fall, I was able to meet Frenet-Gagne. We had a wonderful conversation at Le Croissant café, one of the few places in Winnipeg where you can order in French without hesitation.
Now a master in constitutional law with an interest in linguistic law, Frenet-Gagne, 28, is responsible for academic development at the Canadian Center for Legal French.
According to him, Denise's statements were an opportunity to raise awareness and speak volumes.
When the documentary was released, Frenet-Gagne was invited TLMEP. This Bombardier “saga,” as she calls it, is so intense: “In my life, I've never experienced such a moment of unity.”
Ah, the numbers
The data isn't reassuring, she admits. “We don't wear rose-colored glasses.” Much of Manitoba's formation in the 19th centurye By the end of the 20th century, the French weight was 5%e. But a recent census found that less than 3% of Manitobans now claim it as a “first official language.” Denis is not wrong to point this out.
But in the end, he surprised me by saying, “Statistics cannot measure the vitality of his community.” Or, I would add, his “strong desire to last” (according to Eluard's formulation). Therefore, according to Chloé, the figures do not account for the effect of organizations such as the Manitoba Improvement League, Théâtre Cercle Moliere. But all the young people who hold on to their heritage. She insists that shopping in English doesn't make her a “less French-speaking” person.
The statistics should also better reflect new realities, such as French-speaking immigration, which the federal government is increasingly encouraging. The victories of drowning gave Manitoba Premier Wab Kiniv, a francophone and francophile who was “immersed up to grade 12”.
Let's hope the future proves Denise wrong. Because for now…
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