Mr. Speaker, on this International Day of La Francophonie, the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie is awarding the Ordre de la Pléiade to the late Jean-Louis Bourdeau and Roger Bernard.
In an editorial article published in North Bay's Le Voyageur , it is said the Mr. Bourdeau was one of the unsung heroes of Franco-Ontario's little history. In addition to being one of the founders of the Caisse populaire in Mattice, Mr. Bourdeau was ACFO's provincial president and he chaired the inquiry commission whose report led to the creation of French language community colleges in Ontario.
As for Roger Bernard, he was a full professor at the University of Ottawa and an expert in sociology. He distinguished himself with his analyses and studies on La Francophonie, and he published and edited many books, reports and articles on the subject. His work became the main basis for the argument used in the Montfort case, which was accepted by the courts.
The achievements of Mr. Bourdeau and Mr. Bernard are not only numerous, but also important to the cultural and social development of the Canadian Francophonie. We are deeply grateful to them for their contribution.