Newfoundland and Labrador
Features
In 2021, the community had 2,215 people with French as their mother tongue and around 26,000 people having knowledge of French.
In 1984, the province’s first French-language school opened in the village of La Grand’Terre.
The official Newfoundland-Labrador Francophone flag was first hoisted in 1987.
In 1996, the Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve-et du Labrador (FFTNL) obtained the province’s recognition of Francophones’ right to their own French-language school board. The following year, Canada signed an agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador regarding the creation of French schools and a provincial Francophone school board.
In 1999, the provincial government designated May 30 as Provincial Francophonie Day.
In 2002, the FFTNL formally announced the creation of a school and community centre in the provincial capital of St. John’s, which in 2004 welcomed all Francophone organizations, thereby improving relations between all these entities and fostering a more united Francophone community in the capital region.
En 1984, le village de La Grand’Terre voit l’ouverture de la première école francophone de la province.
La première levée du drapeau officiel francophone de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador a lieu en 1987.
En 1996, la Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve-et du Labrador (FFTNL) obtient la reconnaissance par la province du droit des francophones à avoir leur propre conseil scolaire. L’année suivante, le Canada et la province de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador signent une entente relative à la création d’écoles francophones et d’un conseil scolaire francophone provincial.
C’est en 1999 que le gouvernement provincial décrète que le 30 mai de chaque année sera la journée de la francophonie terre-neuvienne-et-labradorienne.
En 2002, la FFTNL annonce officiellement la création d’un centre scolaire et communautaire dans la capitale provinciale, St-Jean, qui, en 2004, accueillera tous les organismes francophones, ce qui permettra d’améliorer les rapports entre toutes ces entités et d’unifier la communauté francophone dans la région de la capitale.
Organization representing the Francophone population
The Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador (FFTNL) is a not-for-profit organization created in 1973. The same year, a French immersion program was implemented because the provincial government refused to subsidize the creation of Francophone schools. In the years that followed, Francophones achieved several successes, such as the construction of school and community centres and the signing of agreements with the federal government.
The FFTNL defends and promotes the rights and interests of the Francophone and Acadian communities in Newfoundland and Labrador. It works to protect the rights of Francophones in minority situations. Its mission is to promote and facilitate the development of the province’s Francophonie. This situation is the successful result of community members coming together through targeted lobbying and public consultation.
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Education
The Conseil scolaire francophone provincial de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is responsible for French-language education from kindergarten to Grade 12. Six public secular schools are under the jurisdiction of Labrador, on the Port au Port Peninsula and in St. John’s. French immersion programs are also offered in 72 of the province’s schools. From kindergarten onwards, students can do all their learning in French and are encouraged to express themselves in French in everyday life.
