Alberta legislative assembly celebrates a century of Francophone association

Dancers, speakers and politicians gathered at the legislature Tuesday to mark International Francophonie Day.

The legislature hosted a celebration of Association canadienne-francaise de l’Alberta (ACFA) on Tuesday to mark 100 years of the group’s contributions to the province’s francophone population.

“Hosting the celebration in this space sends a powerful message,” ACFA Chair, Nathalie Lachance, told the assembly. “Alberta’s Francophonie is an integral part of this province, past, present and future.”

The ceremony comes on the heels of International Day of La Francophonie, observed on March 20 to celebrate French language and culture. Other organizations have also celebrated the French language through this month as March is Alberta’s Francophonie Month.

French-speaking Albertans have been part of the province’s history for more than 200 years.

Lachance said the ACFA’s centennial celebration was a chance to look at how far the organization had come in ensuring language and cultural diversity for Albertans. She also noted where the province needs to go next.

“Challenges remain, whether in ensuring continued access to French language services, sustaining the vitality of our regional communities, welcoming and integrating French-speaking newcomers or returning young Francophones in Alberta,” she said.

Legislature also heard remarks from Joseph René de Meulles, the Fort Edmonton Otipemisiwak Métis government captain, on the importance of maintaining cultural spaces.

“I’m here today to speak about the perils of losing your language and the importance of funding,” he said on Tuesday, detailing the story of losing his own Cree language to integrate into white communities.

His mother, he explained, thought she was protecting her children from discrimination.

His father, in turn, was French-speaking and knew the family history but felt he didn’t have the community to share it with, de Meulles said, so rarely spoke his first language.

“I thank you all for championing your language. It’s so important to support community and our language and our culture,” he concluded.

According to most recent available data from a 2021 census, Alberta is home to almost 88,000 people whose first official language is French. The province has more than 260,000 French-speaking residents.

There are currently 13 ACFA chapters across Alberta bolstering more than 50 French-speaking daycares, preschools and other support organizations as well as four Francophone school boards.

ACFA recently entered a partnership with Forever Canadian, the group that petitioned on a referendum question to keep Alberta part of the country.

Lachance said the move was to reaffirm the organization’s commitment to a united Canada grounded in linguistic duality, respect for rights and recognition of diversity.