Je suis bilingue… I don’t excuse my French

by Jean Philippe Nadeau

"We don’t just want our youth to be bilingual, but to be proud to be bilingual […] The more people enrol in French programs, the more people will speak French and will be proud to do so and to participate in the Franco-Saskatchewanian community!"

Geneviève Lapierre
Communications Officer
Coalition for the Promotion of the French Language and the Francophone Culture in Saskatchewan

With the catchy slogan "Je suis bilingue… I don’t excuse my French," the Coalition for the Promotion of the French Language and the Francophone Culture in Saskatchewan launched its first promotional campaign for young people last August.

This major campaign, entitled Bonjour Saskatchewan, aims to significantly increase enrolment and improve the retention of students in French-language schools and French as a second language programs. Enthusiasm for this project has already snowballed in the Franco-Saskatchewanian community. All across the province governments, parents’ groups, businesses, Francophone associations and other stakeholders are rallying behind two goals: raise awareness among parents and young people about the opportunities for learning French and increase the visibility of the Francophone culture across the province.

The five-year campaign will consist of radio and television ads, posters and the participation by members of the Coalition in a number of events. Its target audience is not limited to Saskatchewan’s Francophone community: by promoting the benefits of bilingualism, the campaign also aims to convince Anglophone parents to enrol their children in one of Saskatchewan's French-language programs. In short, the campaign aims to show, in the words of the slogan targeting parents, that "learning French is a smart choice." These benefits include improved intellectual abilities and an openness to the world that is necessary in a globalized society.

While enrolment in immersion, intensive French and core French programs has not dropped, the Coalition thinks it is possible to do better. The challenge: dispel the myths and make young people proud to be part of the Franco-Saskatchewanian community.

The Coalition’s promotion campaign will continue in the coming months and be intensified in early 2008 during the school enrolment period. After holding a number of discussion groups, the Coalition found that the irreverent tone of the "Je suis bilingue… I don’t excuse my French" slogan appeals to young people. Let's hope that all these efforts will bear fruit!