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Alberta Online Encyclopedia
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Alberta's Francophone Heritage
Background, People, Culture, Heritage Community Foundation, Albertasource and Alberta Lottery Fund

 

Francophone Edukit

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The Franco-Albertan community between 1982 and the year 2000
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Francophone Communities and
their History

Post WWII

Organizations

People

Edmonton’s French Quarters

Alberta’s
Francophone
community
between
1960 and 1980

The Franco-Albertan community
between 1982
and the year 2000

Quicklinks

Between 1982 and the year 2000, the French community of Alberta experienced a particularly active period in its history. This included such milestones as The Piquette Affair and The Mercure Affair, the establishment of homogeneous francophone schools and the establishment of numerous organizations such as la Société acadienne de l’Alberta (1986), L’Association des juristes d’expression française (1990) and the opening of Le Centre Marie-Anne-Gaboury in 1990. In 1991, the Société francophone de communication established FrancAlta, the French internet service. The Association multiculturelle francophone de l’Ablerta (1989) and Alliance jeunesse famille de l’Alberta (1999) were both established in order to meet the needs of the community’s growing multicultural diversity.

The needs of the elderly were considered as being particularly important during this period and in 1995 the administrations of Manoir Saint-Thomas created in 1982 and of Manoir Saint-Joachim established in 1981 were consolidated. In 1990, the Fédération des aînés francophones de l’Alberta (FAFA) was established. The FAFA is composed of four different regional offices and includes some 1100 members.

Various youth groups initiated a number of interesting projects during this period. In 1982, Jean-Pierre Grenier, a student at Faculté Saint-Jean, designed the Franco-Albertan flag which was made public in 1982 by Francophonie Jeunesse de l’Alberta (FJA). The first Parlement jeunesse de l’Alberta was organized in 1992. The same year, the Jeux francophones de l’Alberta encouraged all young francophone athletes to demonstrate their skills and their team spirit. La Société des jeux francophones was incorporated in 1994 and FJA hosted the first Jeux francophones de l’Ouest which were held in Beaumont in 1995.

Two new associations regrouping Franco-Albertan artists were established during this period. Incorporated in 1997, the Société francophone du centre d’arts visuels wants to ensure the development of the French community’s visual artists. The Centre de développement musical (CDM) established in 1995 works with the community’s young musiciens and singers who are now able to record in the CDM’s new studio opened in 2000.

Amongst the community’s successes during this period are many projects of a financial nature. In 1986, a group of francophone investors purchased the Centre 82 on Whyte Avenue. The Chambre économique de l’Alberta was incorporated in 1997 and the Fondation Fernando Girard was created in 1991.

During this period many rural communities celebrated the 75th anniversary of their fondation : Bonnyville (1982), Rivière-la-Paix (1987) and the Sacré-Coeur Parish of Donnelly (1997). The Lac La Biche Mission was declared a provincial historical site in 1987 and a national historical site in 1989. Elsewhere, Franco-Albertans celebrated the official opening of their new cultural centre: Lethbridge (1982), Saint-Paul (1984), Morinville-Legal (1985), Saint-Isidore (1987) and Plamondon (1994). Saint-Isidore’s well-known Barbar was officially opened in 1989 and Calgary’s beautiful Cité des Rocheuses was opened in October 1997.

New services were also implemented in various French speaking towns across Alberta. Saint-Isidore opened its medical clinic in 1992. That same year, Saint-Paul created its first Centre francophone d’alphabetisation en Alberta. In 1996, Rivière-la Paix organized its first community radio station.

From 1982 to the year 2000, the Franco-Albertan community broadened its scope of services to include all ages and a greater number of regions.

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