Faced with an issue as big and important as the decline of French, Francophones in Quebec and Canada must unite and form a common front. We, who have a shared language, history and destiny, have an interest in getting closer and showing solidarity. Our threatened future, as Francophones in America, binds us more than ever.
On this first Quebec Day of the Canadian Francophonie, it is an opportunity to show solidarity and to express with passion and resilience our common attachment to the French language.
Our respective careers have led us to meet wonderful people who live in French, whether on the shores of Acadia, in the heart of the Prairies, in Ontario, the Yukon and Quebec. These people who continue to resist with strength and conviction deserve all our admiration.
Although the roots of the Canadian Francophonie are deeply rooted in history, these communities are not immune to the challenges created by the omnipresence of the English language, globalization and the ever-decreasing proportion of the number of Francophones, as confirmed by the recent statistics.
Faced with these challenges, we must form a common front to halt the decline of French. Today, on the occasion of the Quebec Day of the Canadian Francophonie, let us commit ourselves with benevolence and solidarity to come together in order to build a network of Francophones determined to protect and enhance the French language.
A step in the right direction would be to meet the other to know their reality and highlight what unites us: our history, our roots and our desire to live in French. It is also, in particular, to promote the mobility of French-speaking students, to develop business and municipal networks and to focus on youth in order to display our pride in being French-speaking. We have every advantage in sharing our expertise in identity building, in education, in professional training, in culture and in the research sector in French.
La Francophonie has been present throughout Canada for more than four centuries. At various times in our history, we have all fought to preserve our rights. Together, we must do everything we can to protect the gains and promote the sustainability of our language and our communities.
