Franco-Albertan
Encyclopedia
The Franco-Albertans are an extended community of French Canadians or French
-speaking people living in Alberta
. They are centred in the Bonnie Doon
area of Edmonton
, and there are tens of thousands of Franco-Albertans living in communities such as Legal north of Edmonton, Bonnyville
, Plamondon, and St. Paul
in the northeastern part of the province, northwest areas such as the hamlet of St. Isidore
, Municipal District of Smoky River No. 130
-including the towns of Falher
, Donnelly, McLennan
and Girouxville
and north central Alberta
. Immigration from Quebec
to Alberta in the 1970s and again in the 21st century has also increased the francophone
population of the province, especially in the cities of Calgary
, Edmonton
and Fort McMurray
.
L’Unithéâtre in Edmonton and the Société de Théâtre serve a French-speaking audience, and a number of folk dancing troupes tour the province. The Centre d’arts visuels de l’Alberta provides a venue for francophone artists and craftsmen, and the annual Franco-Alberta Festival showcases French language and culture.
The first notable Franco-Albertan, in many regards, was Father Albert Lacombe.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking people living in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. They are centred in the Bonnie Doon
Bonnie Doon, Edmonton
Bonnie Doon is a neighbourhood in south-central Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The western part of Bonnie Doon was originally part of the City of Strathcona, and became a part of Edmonton when Strathcona and Edmonton merged in 1912...
area of Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, and there are tens of thousands of Franco-Albertans living in communities such as Legal north of Edmonton, Bonnyville
Bonnyville, Alberta
Bonnyville, Alberta is a town situated in east-central Alberta between the City of Cold Lake and the Town of St. Paul. It is the seat of the Municipal District of Bonnyville No...
, Plamondon, and St. Paul
St. Paul, Alberta
St. Paul is a town in east-central Alberta, Canada. It was formerly called St. Paul de Métis and was originally a French-Catholic settlement and mission to the Metis people....
in the northeastern part of the province, northwest areas such as the hamlet of St. Isidore
St. Isidore, Alberta
St. Isidore is a hamlet in northwest Alberta, Canada, within Northern Sunrise County. It is located approximately east of the Town of Peace River on Range Road 204 off Highway 688. St. Isidore is flanked by deep ravines cut by Pat's Creek to the north and Pat's Creek tributary to the south. The...
, Municipal District of Smoky River No. 130
Smoky River No. 130, Alberta
The Municipal District of Smoky River No. 130 is a municipal district in north western Alberta, Canada.It is located in Census Division 19. The municipal seat is set in Town of Falher. On Jan 01, 1952, the name was changed from Municipal District of Fillion No...
-including the towns of Falher
Falher, Alberta
Falher is a town in the Peace Country area of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the Municipal District of Smoky River, along Highway 49. Falher is one of the earliest agricultural communities in the Peace Country.-History:...
, Donnelly, McLennan
McLennan, Alberta
McLennan is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located north of High Prairie on Highway 2.The town lies on the southern shore of Kimiwan Lake, and north of Winagami Lake...
and Girouxville
Girouxville, Alberta
Girouxville is a village in northern Alberta, Canada, located south of the town of Peace River.- Demographics :According to the 2006 census:* population of 282 living in 139 dwellings, a 7.8% decrease from 2001.* land area of...
and north central Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. Immigration from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
to Alberta in the 1970s and again in the 21st century has also increased the francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
population of the province, especially in the cities of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
and Fort McMurray
Fort McMurray, Alberta
Fort McMurray is an urban service area in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in Alberta, Canada. It was previously incorporated as a city on September 1, 1980. It became an urban service area when it amalgamated with Improvement District No. 143 on April 1, 1995 to create the Municipality...
.
L’Unithéâtre in Edmonton and the Société de Théâtre serve a French-speaking audience, and a number of folk dancing troupes tour the province. The Centre d’arts visuels de l’Alberta provides a venue for francophone artists and craftsmen, and the annual Franco-Alberta Festival showcases French language and culture.
The first notable Franco-Albertan, in many regards, was Father Albert Lacombe.
Other notable Franco-Albertans
- Chris BenoitChris BenoitChristopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
- Professional wrestler. Born to a French-Canadian family in Montréal, but raised in Edmonton, and wrestled out of Calgary. - Jean Léon Côté - Franco-Albertan politician.
- Denis DucharmeDenis DucharmeDenis Archie Ducharme is a former Albertan MLA. From April 6 until December 15, 2006, he also served as Minister of Community Development...
- Franco-Albertan politician. - Wilfrid GariépyWilfrid GariépyWilfrid Gariepy was a Canadian politician, member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and provincial cabinet minister, member of the Canadian House of Commons, and municipal councillor in Edmonton.-Early life:...
- founding Franco-Albertan/Canadian politician. - Robert GouletRobert GouletRobert Gerard Goulet was a Canadian American entertainer as a singer and actor. He played the role of Lancelot in the Broadway musical Camelot of 1960.-Early life:...
- American entertainer of French-Canadian parentage and Franco-Albertan residency. Migrated with his French-Canadian family from Massachusetts to northern Alberta when he was three months old. Was rumoured to be seeking Canadian citizenship, but died in 2007 before any action could be taken. - Hector GoudreauHector GoudreauHector G. Goudreau is a politician from Alberta, Canada. He is originally from the francophone area of Beaumont, Alberta, located just south of Edmonton's metro population....
- Alberta Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture (2006–present). - Prosper-Edmond LessardProsper-Edmond LessardProsper-Edmond Lessard was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1921 sitting with the Liberal caucus in government. He also served in the Canadian Senate from 1925 to his death in 1931 sitting with the federal Liberal caucus.-Early life:Lessard was born on February 3, 1873...
- Alberta’s first French-speaking cabinet minister and Senator. - Les Bûcherons, a duo which presents French-Canadian music and dance to audiences throughout the province.
- Benoit Pariseau - Author and broadcaster. He is also a distant cousin of former Québec premier Jacques Pariseau.
- Leo PiquetteLeo PiquetteLéo Piquette was elected to the Alberta Legislative Assembly in the 1986 Alberta election. He was a member of the Alberta New Democratic Party for the district of Athabasca-Lac La Biche....
- Alberta politician, francophone minority right advocate. - Crystal PlamondonCrystal PlamondonCrystal Plamondon is a trilingual singer and performer of Cajun and country music.Plamondon's birth town was founded by her grandfather. She began singing publicly at the age of ten but didn’t record until 1991 when she made her own cassette...
- Franco-Alberta singer and songwriter. - Edouard Hector Rouleau - Medical doctor, Conservative Politician, pioneer of Calgary.
- Claudette TardifClaudette TardifClaudette Tardif is a Canadian senator from Alberta. She was appointed to the senate by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, on the advice of Prime Minister Paul Martin, on March 24, 2005, representing the Liberal Party of Canada....
- francophone Canadian Senator for Alberta, of Russian descent.
See also
- Franco-Albertan FlagFranco-Albertan FlagCreated by Jean-Pierre Grenier, the design for the Franco-Albertan flag was adopted by the Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta in March 1982...
- French CanadianFrench CanadianFrench Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
- Franco-ColumbianFranco-ColumbianFranco-Columbians or Franco-Colombiens are French Canadians or French speaking Canadians living in the Canadian province of British Columbia....
, Franco-ManitobanFranco-ManitobanFranco-Manitobans are a community of French Canadians and other French-speaking people living in Manitoba. Most Franco-Manitobans have roots in Quebec. However, many are of Métis and Belgian ancestry while others have ancestors that came directly from France, its former colonies and other...
, Franco-OntarianFranco-OntarianFranco-Ontarians are French Canadian or francophone residents of the Canadian province of Ontario. They are sometimes known as "Ontarois"....
, FransaskoisFransaskoisFransaskois are francophones or French Canadians living in the Prairie province of Saskatchewan. The term franco-saskatchewanian may also be used on occasion, although in practice it is rare due to its length and unwieldiness.-Population:...
, Franco-TénoisFranco-TenoisFranco-Ténois, originating from the acronym TNO of the French term for the Northwest Territories of Canada refers to the widespread community of francophones that reside in the Northwest Territories....