Celebration of the Journée de la francophonie canadienne at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver

On February 13, Glenn Hart, Minister responsible for the French Language Services Directorate, participated in the Journée de la francophonie canadienne at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The province of British Columbia, together with the province’s francophone organizations and the Government of Canada, capitalized on the day’s theme to showcase Canada’s francophone communities and linguistic duality at the Winter Olympics.

Mr. Hart attended the Breakfast in Honour of the Journée de la francophonie canadienne, organized by Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia, at Vancouver’s Terminal City Club. They were joined by a number of dignitaries from Canada and other French-speaking countries. Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, Quebec Premier Jean Charest, and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell each addressed the full-to-capacity room, underscoring the excellent work being done by the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie, of which Mr. Hart is a member. Another speaker, Pascal Couchepin, Grand Témoin de la Francophonie for the Olympic Games, discussed the place of the French language at the Olympics.

Mr. Hart also attended a special event in Whistler in addition to an evening show and reception hosted by the Government of Alberta.

Mr. Hart qualified the events as huge successes!