Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning.
On behalf of the board of directors of the Association culturelle de la francophonie manitobaine and Josée Théberge, the director general, who could not join us because of a trip, as well as my colleagues Martine Bordeleau and Kelly Bado‑Giesbrecht, I would like to thank the committee for inviting us. We are particularly grateful to the MP for Joliette, Gabriel Ste‑Marie, from the Bloc Québécois.
My name is Edouard Lamontagne. I am in charge of programming for the Association culturelle de la francophonie manitobaine, more commonly known as the ACFM.
Today, I want to share with you the importance of the role our organization has played for 37 years. Since February 17, 1986, the ACFM and its committees have been contributing to the development of francophone culture by ensuring the implementation of cultural and artistic programming. This is made possible thanks to the involvement of volunteers in rural communities and, of course, financial support from the federal government.
Only the ACFM and its cultural committees are able to provide artistic and cultural programming in French to the communities they serve in every corner of Manitoba.
Here are three concrete examples of our impact in francophone rural Manitoba.
In 2022, the ACFM and its members presented Raconte-moi ton patrimoine, the third phase of the project entitled “Les Lieux-dits”, which was created in partnership with the Société Radio-Canada and the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine. The primary purpose of the “Les Lieux-dits” project was to showcase the small towns, the families that founded them and the experience of those living in rural Manitoba. Participants from various generations worked together to highlight 49 sites in 17 Franco-Manitoban small towns. About 20 of these projects came to life on stage as part of a tour of theatre productions in rural communities and in Winnipeg.
In 2023, the “Janvier, célébrons notre culture au rural” project was presented in partnership with the Festival du Voyageur. This project proposed a series of snow sculpture workshops that took place in four francophone villages in Manitoba in January. Members of the public were invited to take part in a sculpture workshop with a professional Franco-Manitoban snow sculptor in a magical scene set in deepest winter. Francophone artists and artisans from rural areas put on shows and set up stands, which made for a festive atmosphere. It was a triumph. The participants, regardless of the language they use, all want to host the event in their community next year.
For eight years, the ACFM and the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine have been offering comedy training to high school students in rural schools. This unique project offers aspiring comedians the opportunity to stimulate their creativity, develop self-confidence, and improve their oral and written skills in French by creating a comedy routine with professional comedians.
For the past five years, training has taken the form of a three-day residential camp, ongoing support and an opportunity to present a routine in front of professional comedians from Acadia and Quebec. This innovative project is now being held up as an example to be followed across Canada.
As you can see, the ACFM and its members play a key role in the development of Manitoba's rural francophonie. The ACFM works closely with its members to organize events that bring all generations together in a manner that respects all cultures and encourages the transmission of culture and language.
The ACFM and its collaborators are working to promote rural communities by organizing these fantastic projects. Manitoba's rural communities are showcased by our local artists and artisans, who act as proud ambassadors.
Dear members of the committee, we strongly encourage you to consider organizations such as the ACFM, which works for the development of rural regions through arts, culture and heritage. By supporting the ACFM, the federal government is demonstrating its commitment to promoting the French language and francophone culture in minority communities, as well as its support for the arts in Manitoba's rural francophone communities.
Thank you.