Canada Adds Some Joie de Vivre to the Olympics

English and French are not only the official languages of Canada, but also of the Olympic Movement. This makes Vancouver a perfect linguistic setting for hosting the 2010 Winter Games.

What few people know is that British Columbia is home to a thriving Francophone community, which includes upwards of 61,735 members.

Canada's bilingual character will be showcased during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Both the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) and the Government of Canada are taking steps to ensure that the Games are not just fully bilingual, but also that visitors from across Canada and around the world have plenty of opportunities to experience and enjoy Canada's Francophone culture and heritage.

James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, says that the Government of Canada is committed to supporting and promoting the nation's two official languages at Canada's Olympic Games. "We want French-speaking Canada to have a strong presence at the 2010 Games," said the Minister.

This determination led to an investment of $7.7 million for translation, bilingual signage, and medals ceremonies, in order to produce bilingual Games.

Among other initiatives, the Government of Canada also provided $1.7 million to create Place de la Francophonie. Located on Vancouver's Granville Island--one of the city's most popular destinations for visitors and residents alike--Place de la Francophonie will ensure a high-profile presence for Canada's French language and culture during the Games. It will host a series of diverse activities to give visitors an authentic Francophone cultural experience.

The Government of Canada is also supporting the bilingual volunteer accommodation project, organized by the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique. The Fédération wants to help bilingual volunteers at the Games enjoy a unique experience.

Canada's French language and culture will also be well-represented among the almost 200 events being staged as part of VANOC's 2010 Cultural Olympiad, ranging from two nights of "Juste pour rire" with some of Canada's top Francophone comedians to the magic of Montréal's award-winning Cirque Éloize.

The Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada is sponsoring a unique project, also with support from the federal government.

Recognizing that opportunities for young journalists to cover a major international event such as an Olympic Games come only rarely, the Alliance has organized "Franco Médias 2010." The project will provide 24 young journalists--including at least 18 participants from Francophone minority communities across Canada--with the tools to enable them to report on the 2010 Games and related events. The reports could be carried by up to 250 Francophone media outlets, as well as on the Internet.

William Fox, President of the Corporation of the Place de la Francophonie 2010, says "The eyes of the entire world will turn to Canada during the Vancouver Games. It is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the Francophonie in Canada and highlight its significant contribution to the development of the country. Visitors will be able to see the diversity of its cultural expressions as well as the creativity and excellence of its artists, and share their joie de vivre."

Source: Official Languages Support Programs, Canadian Heritage, based on data from the 2006 Census, Statistics Canada, 20% sample.

Note

1. First official language spoken is a derived linguistic variable based on answers to language questions in the Census of Canada.
2. Adjusted responses are single responses plus part of the multiple responses (divided equally among the declared languages).