Fransaskois

As Fransaskois ( feminine form: Fransaskoise ) or Frankosaskatchewane to designate the French-speaking Canadians living in the Prairie province of Saskatchewan. In English usage, the term Franco - Saskatchewanian is needed occasionally.

Population

French speakers make up about 2 % of the population of the province of Saskatchewan. Similar to the rest of the population to natural growth and migration are almost entirely offset. Fransaskois Fransaskoises and live mainly in the larger cities such as Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw. In some smaller cities such as Gravelbourg, Albertville, Duck Lake, Ponteix, Zenon Park, Bellevue, Willow Bunch (French name: Talle -de -Saules ) and Bellegarde and in some villages they provide the majority of the population.

Rights and education in French

The Fransaskois enjoy no special rights under the Constitution. In recent years, however, courts decided that francophone children have a right to education in their mother tongue to the end of secondary school. Until the 1990s, a school needed an official permit to teach primarily in French may. Since 1995, the Francophone population of Saskatchewan now has the right to manage their own schools. The Division Scolaire No. 310 currently manages 12 schools.

In 1918, Monseigneur founded O.E. Mathieu in Gravelbourg in southern Saskatchewan, the Catholic private school Collège Mathieu. From 1970, girls were allowed to attend the Collège Mathieu. By the spring of 2003, the College was the only French boarding school in western Canada. After a protracted political dispute with the Division Scolaire Francophone and due to declining student numbers, the Collège Mathieu was incorporated into the system of the Division Scolaire Francophone and operated since under the name École Secondaire College Mathieu (High School Collège Mathieu ).

Culture

Despite the minority situation of Fransaskois there in Saskatchewan a rich francophone cultural scene. With a variety of festivals both traditional music and visual art as well as the performing and fine arts are represented. Among the most famous Fransaskois artists include the folk band Hart - Rouge, the kids entertainer Carmen Campagne (both from the small town of Willow Bunch ) and the band poly - Esther. There are also in Saskatoon since 1987 the professional francophone theater group La Troupe du Jour.

A known Fransaskoise was Jeanne Sauvé. She was Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party, Minister, Speaker of the House of Commons, and finally Governor General of Canada.