to continue publishing a weekly newspaper,
Le Soleil de Colombie has reduced its
production from fifty (50) issues per year to
forty-seven (47). The Fédération launched
another attack by way of a second letter
campaign to the ministers and officials
involved; again, however, without success.

EDUCATION

Establishing the Structure for
Governance of the Francophone
Education System

On February 21, 1992, the Minister of
Education, Anita Hagen, made public the
report of the Minority Language Education
Task Force in British Columbia. The
Minister recognizes that the Province must
fulfil its constitutional obligations with
respect to its francophone minority. She
called upon the public to forward written
comments and responses to her before June
30, 1992. The task of increasing awareness
within the community and among
francophone parents continues while
negotiations to establish the new system of
education governance for and by
francophones are getting under way with
the relevant governments.

COMMUNITY

Over the course of the 1991-1992 year, the
Community Sector of the F.F.C. has
experienced some historic moments. Last
October, the Fédération des Franco-
Colombiens attended the celebrations
marking the fiftieth anniversary of the
Société Francophone de Victoria, one of the
first organizations to take root in British
Columbia. In addition, the Fédération des
Franco-Colombiens moved the location of
the March 1992 meeting of the Council of
Presidents to Powell River so that we could
participate in the 25th anniversary of Le
ClubBon Accueil. Our community’s vitality
was also evident in the acquisition of a
community centre by the Association
Francophone de Kamloops and in the
opening of a multi-purpose room, Studio
16, at the Maison de la Francophonie in
Vancouver. Furthermore, as a result of an
initiative in which Educacentre was
involved, aresource centre for francophones
- called La Boussole - has opened in
Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Annual Report 1991-1992

Another significant event was the founding
meeting of Réseau-femmes Colombie-
Britannique, an organization which brings
together the province’s francophone women.
It did not take long for the organization to start
contributing to the francophone community -
in cooperation with Educacentre and the Service
fransaskois d’éducation des adultes, it will be
holding a workshop on non-sexist writing for
the province’s associations. Along the same
lines, Educacentre offers distance education
courses developed by Quebec’s Education
Ministry called “Le Francais sans fautes, pour
l’apprentissage de l’orthographe”.

In following upon the work done in 1990-1991
with regard to adult education, the F.F.C. has

25 “Anniversary of the Club Bon Accueil de
Powell River.

developed - in cooperation with the educational
arm of the Centre culturel francophone de
Vancouver, Educacentre - a research initiative
into the establishment of French-language adult
education services in British Columbia. A co-
management agreement between these two
organizations was signed at the Council of
Presidents meeting in November 1991. The
research focuses on identifying the French-
language educational needs of adults, studying

La Fédération des Franco-Colombiens

implementation methods, identifying
partners, andrecommending models suitable
for British Columbia. Once funding has
been approved by the central office of
Employment and Immigration Canada, the
research will begin in the fall of 1992.

Every year the Fédération provides the
permanent staff of its member associations
with the opportunity to consult with each
other during two workshops, one in the fall,
the otherin the spring. This year, participants
discussed continuing education and funding
of francophone organizations and exchanged
information regarding their respective
programs and the development of their
communities.

Youth in Action!

In cooperation with the Scouts et Guides
francophones de la Colombie-Britannique,
the Conseil jeunesse franco-colombien
organized CARREFOUR 1991 from May
17 to 20, 1991. This was a celebration of
youth and its francophone identity. Almost
250 young British Columbia francophones
aged 8 to 25 came to Victoria from all over
the province to participate in various training
workshops.

Creation of a Canadian Francophone
Seniors Organization

Like other francophone communities across
the country, ours in British Columbia
includes a significant number of seniors
who are involved in the community. This is
why, with the assistance of the Fédération
des communautés francophones et acadienne
du Canada, the F.F.C. attended the national
meeting of francophone seniors in Ottawa
on June 13 and 14, 1991. As aresult of this
meeting, francophone seniors in this
province now have an official representative
on the national committee responsible for
founding the Assemblée des ainé(e)s
francophones du Canada. She is Mrs.
Armela Ledet, President of the Club des
Pensionnés de Maillardville.

CULTURE

A First for Francophone Communities
Outside Quebec

British Columbia francophones are members
of the first francophone community outside