More than 125
youngsters
came from all
over the
province to
share their
passion for
theatre.

“This is only the
second festival
and we just
love it”.

YO be A TO R¢ secondary _ School
U G Cc (Prince George) and

ON STAGE!

For the second time, the Festival
théatre jeunesse Colombie-
Britannique subdued the
participants. “This is only the
second festival and we just love it”,
said Nicoleand Emile, two teachers
from V.Brodeur School. The
Festival was presented by Théatre
La Seiziéme. More than 125
youngsters came from all over the
province to share their passion for
theatre.

Like last year, the festival was
held in the enchanting Elphinston
campsite at Gibsons (Sunshine
Coast). Eight plays of 30 minutes
each were presented to the public:
three plays by grade 7,8,9 pupils
and five plays by the grade 10,11
and 12. Three different schools
offering Program cadre were
participating. Brodeur School had
one team in each categorie.
Children enrolled at Duchess Park

Sechelt elementary
school also participated. Young
people from Nanaimo, Mission,
Dawson Creek and Fort Saint-John
performed on stage.

During the Festival, 24 prizes
were given to recognize the
students’ merit. The award for the
best production was awarded to
Brodeur School for presenting “Par
Osmose” play. Then, Mission
secondary School won the first prize
for presenting “Un monde dans
une salle”’.

The strong emotion that
emerged from the plays, the
quality of scenery and the costumes
too showed all the essential
preparation for the production of a
play. One of the goals of the Festival
is to develop drama. During the
week-end, students had also the
chance to attend drama workshops.
This way, the Festival allows
teenagers to step forward in
practising French language and
culture. @

paige INFO-PARENTS Esai Senenots Oe

COURT ACTION

SUMMARY

The hearings for the Court action
brought against the Attorney General
of British Columbia by Francophone
parents should take place on June 4, 5
and 6 in the Supreme Court of the
province.

In anticipation a pre-trial meeting
took place last May 22 before Judge
Dohm, Assistant to the Chief Justice of
British Columbia Supreme Court.

During this meeting the lawyer
representing the Attorney General
asked for an adjournment of the action
until next Fall. Judge Dohm dit not
give any answer to the lawyer of the
Attorney General. However, in front
of the complexity of the case implying
the non conformity of the Province to
the Canadian Charter, implicating
the School Act and the Regulation
creating a Francophone Education
Authority, Judge Dohm decided that a
minimum of five days was necessary
for the trial and not three as previously
thought.

As no possible space of five days
was available in June, Judge Dohm
ruled that the trial takes place from the
8 of July until the 12 and that one judge
with the necessary expertise on
constitutional matters be assigned to
the case.

Judge Dohm also stressed that he
understood the importance of the case
being heard before September, meaning
we could have a decision by the end of
July. It also means that the Attorney
General can not provide any other
excuse to postpone the trial.

During the week of May 27 we
were advised that the trial will take
place in Nanaimo before Judge David
Vickers.

It took seven years to bring the
Court action to this stage... Our cause
finally stands up in Court!!! g