CPF Magazine Winter 2021 Issue

CANADIAN PARENTS FOR FRENCH
WINTER 2021
$6.95 • FREE FOR MEMBERS
NEW REALITY,
NEW LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES!
MEET THE RECIPIENTS
OF THE CPF AWARDS
OF RECOGNITION
“SAY OUI”
TO BECOMING A
FRENCH TEACHER
IN ONTARIO

CPF YOUTH YOUTH ACTIVITY ACTIVITY PAGE

Magazine
CANADIAN PARENTS FOR FRENCH
WINTER 2021
www.cpf.ca
WINTER 2021
Table of Contents
CONTRIBUTORS
JP Michel, Corinne Barrett Dewiele,
Jason D. Edgerton, and other authors and
organizations, as noted in their articles.
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Marcos Salaiza
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Canadian Parents for French
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CPF Magazine is published three times per
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of students learning French as a second
language, French language teachers,
school board or district staff, and provincial,
territorial and federal government staff
responsible for official languages education.
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FEATURES
3 Victims of Its Own Success:
The Perpetual Challenges of French Immersion
Programs in Canada
6 The Krystina Baranowski Fund
Farewell – Catherine Davies
12 FindingLife
16 SparkPath: A New Approach to Career Discovery
REGULAR ARTICLES
2 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
7 CPF BRANCHES: FSL TEACHER RECRUITMENT
“Say Oui” To Becoming a French Second Language
Teacher in Ontario
10 CPF PROGRAMMING
New Reality, New Learning Opportunities!
14 CPF AWARDS
Meet the Recipients of the CPF National Awards
of Recognition 2020
15 CPF PARTNER RESOURCE
Festivals d'hiver et orthographe /
Wintry Festivals and Spelling Quiz
18 CPF EVENTS
CPF Network Virtual Conference
20 KEY CPF CONTACTS ACROSS CANADA
This issue of CPF Magazine is printed
on 70lb Endurance Silk, using vegetable
based inks. The paper is FSC certified by the
Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), meaning
it comes from well-managed forests and
known sources, ensuring local communities
benefit and sensitive areas are protected.
Canadian Parents for French is a nationwide, research-informed, volunteer organization
that promotes and creates opportunities to learn and use French for all those who
call Canada home.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
H
appy New Year to you all. Let me start
by introducing myself. I am a proud French
second-language francophone and was
elected President of CPF National last October. It
is an honour for me to address the readers of this
magazine for the first time.
What a year 2020 was… I never would have
thought when last year started that we would be
living through a pandemic while facing ongoing
world challenges such as racial inequity and the
climate crisis, plus our own, such as lack of access
to FSL programs, teacher recruitment and retention
and linguistic (in)security. We must all face these
challenges individually, but also together as
communities, provinces/territories and as a country. As we turned
the page to a new year (finally, it is 2021!), it is clear we are only
getting started.
These challenges do not exist in silos and are all a part of CPF's
work. They force us to ask tough questions. What else can we do?
What else should we do? How do we ensure our work continues?
How do we put positive measures in place to ensure our efforts have
their intended impacts? As we ask ourselves these questions and
start to dig deeply, I believe the answers offer great opportunity.
If we focus on the COVID-19 pandemic for a moment, it has
created devastation in our lives and communities. I would like to
take this opportunity to thank all the frontline workers who continue
COLLÈGE SAINT-CHARLES-GARNIER
DON’T MISS THE BEST SUMMER
OF YOUR LIFE!
FRENCH IMMERSION SUMMER CAMP
IN QUEBEC CITY
FROM JULY 4 th TO AUGUST 6 th 2021
You are between 14 and
17 years old, have fun with
us this summer learning
French and discovering a
new culture!
to keep us safe in different ways. Yet, along with this
hardship, comes the opportunity to develop new
ways of working and delivering projects through a
variety of new methods. The CPF Network Virtual
Conference 2020 is an excellent example of this.
As an attendee, I was impressed by the number
of sessions, the use of technology, the flexibility
of the scheduling and the overall engagement
throughout—I learned so much! What an opportunity
to connect with others across Canada to learn and
grow together. Already, I cannot help but ponder
how we can use what we have learned about a virtual
conference and find ways to combine the joy of
building or renewing friendships in-person, with the
accessibility and flexibility of a virtual offering.
As we move forward as a CPF Network, we must continue to ask
ourselves how we can continue to do better. This does not mean we
are not doing great work—simply that there is always room to improve
and 2020 highlighted what we do well and where there are still gaps.
My hope and goal, for us all in 2021, is that we do exactly that—take
what 2020 showed us and improve it, fix it and make it better, both
within and outside the CPF Network. Please continue to stay healthy
and to take care of yourself. Restez en santé et à bientôt. n
DERREK BENTLEY
CPF NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Important CPF Network Updates
New Appointments to the
National Board of Directors
At the 44th Annual General Meeting (October 2020),
CPF announced the appointment of their new President
and Vice-President to the National Board of Directors.
Derrek Bentley will serve as National President, he was
previously Vice-President and also served as a Board
Director for the CPF Manitoba Branch.
► No minimum level of
French required
► French lessons each
morning of the week
► Housing in residence:
single rooms
► Many activities, games,
pedagogical visits and
excursions
► More than 400 students
from all around the world
CONTACT US:
international@collegegarnier.qc.ca
+1 418 681-0107 ext. 305
garnier-international.com
KATE PETERS
NATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT
Kate Peters will serve as
National Vice-President, she
previously served as Treasurer
on the National Board and as
Board Director on the CPF
Alberta Branch.
Outgoing President
Nancy McKeraghan, who
served three years in the
position, will continue to serve
her term in a mentoring and
supporting role as part of the
CPF Network’s succession and
planning initiatives.
2 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

victim
OF ITS OWN
success?
The Perpetual Challenges of French Immersion Programs in Canada
BY DR. CORINNE E. BARRETT DEWIELE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITÉ SAINT BONIFACE (MANITOBA) AND
DR. JASON D. EDGERTON ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA
T
he popularity of French immersion
(FI) programs has risen dramatically
across Canada in the past couple of
decades. The Government of Canada
reports that Canada saw a 52% increase in
FI enrollment between 2003 and 2013.
However, the rising popularity of FI
is itself a source of significant challenges.
Since its inception four decades ago,
FI programs have often struggled to
meet demand, and in many jurisdictions
where demand exceeds available seats,
enrollments have had to be restricted.
Some of the challenges that prevent
FI programs from ‘scaling up’ to meet
demand include a shortage of qualified
teachers who speak the language fluently
enough to teach FI, a lack of physical
space in a school, a lack of adequate
resources written in French and a lack
of funding to improve those (often
costlier) resources. Let us briefly examine
each challenge before suggesting some
possible solutions.
French Immersion Teacher Shortage
One of the most persistent and welldocumented
challenges to offering
quality FI programming is a lack of
qualified teachers. The scarcity of FI
teachers is not a surprise as, according
to the Government of Canada i Job Bank,
92% of French Language/French Language
Teacher Bachelor of Education recent
graduates find employment in their
chosen field, with only 3% stating they
were unemployed (the other 5% were
not looking for jobs).
Some of the crucial factors behind this
chronic teacher shortage are: the unequal
distribution of Francophones across the
country, provincial requirements regarding
the study of French, the high demand for
Francophones in other economic sectors
and the challenging nature of predicting
what type of person would choose to
become a teacher as a career choice ii .
This shortage is further magnified when it
comes to finding qualified supply or on call
FI teachers; given that there are already
too few teachers to fill full-time positions,
the pool of supply/on call teachers
qualified to teach FI is even smaller.
continued >>
CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021 3

The staffing shortage is accentuated,
yet again, when it comes to hiring French
speaking support services teachers, such
as counsellors and resource teachers.
Exceptional students registered in FI
programs are sometimes assisted in
their learning by Anglophone specialists
who are unable to provide supports in
French. Accessibility and inclusion are the
two major issues associated with special
education in the FI program (for many
types of diverse learners) and the inability
to employ personnel fluent in French is
problematic for both.
There is a concern that a shortage
of qualified FI teachers reduces the
standards for teaching French as a second
language in some immersion programs iii .
FI programs require professionals trained
in both teaching pedagogy as well as
having a solid linguistic ability. Teachers
are the primary models of the language
for their students. Without effective
language competency, teachers struggle
to prepare and deliver their lessons, or
to correct grammatical errors of their
students iv . There is a fear, that hiring
teachers without strong pedagogical,
linguistic and cultural competence
leads to a disservice of the students
and the FI program.
Lack of Physical Space
Inadequate space for the number of
students who wish to be enrolled in FI
is a common problem. In Manitoba, for
example, many FI schools are bursting
at the seams as school boards scramble
to find space to accommodate growing
FI enrollment numbers. Parents, from
both the FI and the English language
programs, are generally displeased with
changes at the schools that attempt to
solve overcapacity problems by moving
students to other schools that are further
from home.
Lack of Adequate French as a Second
Language Teaching Material
Unlike Français (French first-language)
students, FI students are not firstlanguage
learners and often do not have
the benefit of a parent that speaks French
at home and are not surrounded by
rich examples of the French language
(e.g. reading material, music or television
shows). Resources that are used in
Français programs will not suffice in
French as a second language (FSL)
classrooms. FI teachers at all grade
levels are often frustrated by the fact
that they must search for resources that
are adapted to a language level that is
accessible for their students, and teachers
see this as one of the most difficult tasks
of teaching in FI classrooms.
Consequently, in order to satisfy
the cultural and language needs of their
students in a province with an Anglophone
majority, FI teachers are often required
to create their own materials, adapt their
own materials from French first-language
programs or translate the materials used in
English language programs v . The lack of
appropriate FSL teaching material further
compounds the FI teacher shortage
problem, as having to create or adapt
materials for use in the classroom is a
large task that can push some teachers to
leave FI.
Technological resources are also
problematic in the FI stream. More often
in dual track schools, but sometimes
in milieu schools in provinces with an
Anglophone majority, the technological
tools that are purchased are English tools:
English keyboards, software that is based
or purchased in English where directions
or tabs cannot be translated (e.g., Kahoot,
Word, PPT) or a lack of French-speaking
technological support personnel vi . There
is also a dearth of learning software at a
level appropriate for FI students.
Finally, resources geared specifically
to FI students have always been more
costly than corresponding English
resources. It is, after all, (even if growing)
a niche market. Textbooks, computer
applications, library books, magazines,
graphic novels, in effect anything that
the students must read, require an
adaptation to a second language learner
level, and such material has little or no
resale value outside of the school setting.
In short, it generally costs more to make
the FI program comparable with the
English program in terms of quality of
educational resources.
Viable solutions?
Although many of the noted challenges
have dogged FI since its inception, the
extent of these has been magnified in
recent years by the growing popularity of
FI. The continued success of FI will require
viable solutions to these ongoing issues.
One strategy that many school
districts have adopted is to try to recruit
new FI teachers very early in their
graduating year at university – in
January and February of the year
previous to the September start-up.
What the districts discover, however,
is that there are not enough bilingual
graduates for all the open positions.
In the past, districts attempted to fill
positions with teachers from Europe
and from Quebec. Currently, the shortage
of FSL teachers is everywhere including
in Quebec. There are recruitment
initiatives taking place in Europe as well
as other French speaking countries. But
this is not always a perfect solution.
These teachers must undergo additional
training to qualify as FSL teachers, as the
requirements are different than teaching
French as a mother tongue.
Recently, the federal government
recognizing the serious FI teacher
shortage across the country, and intent
on promoting Canada’s two official
languages, allocated funds for the
recruitment of additional FI teachers in its
latest Action Plan on Official Languages.
The Canadian Heritage plan will provide
$31.3 million over four years, begun in
2019-2020, enabling recruitment of more
FI teachers. vii In this vein, one possible
recruitment strategy is to offer additional
bursaries to French universities to
4 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

encourage more FI high school graduates
to pursue teaching in French. Similarly,
school districts could invest in students
who are ready to pursue teaching as a
career by paying for one university course
per year for the students; the student
would repay the district by teaching for it
for three years after graduation. Another
possibility is a credit-earning mentoring
program for high school students who
would go one afternoon per cycle during
their final year in high school to help a
veteran FI elementary teacher in the
classroom. This ‘job shadowing’ by the
high school student may lead to the
discovery that teaching is a viable career
option. Lastly, students with capacity in
French would also feel more encouraged
if the remuneration offered to teachers
was improved (i.e. more attractive
compensation for the number of required
hours) and comparable with other fields
that require five years of study or more at
a university.
Teachers themselves can help FI
programs as well. If certain certified
teachers do not have the ease of language
that they desire, they could enroll in parttime
immersion programs in existence
at many universities across Canada.
Further, if attendance was funded by the
school district, teachers would be even
more encouraged to take the course for
improvement. By investing in the teacher,
the district improves its FI program.
Teachers can also help with the lack of
resources by continuing to post their
translated/adapted FI teaching materials
on blogs, Pinterest, educational and other
Internet sites.
Regarding the issues of space for FI
programs and resources, governments
and school districts need to be willing to
relocate students to buildings of a more
appropriate size, when needed, despite
parental complaints and community
backlash. They should consider what is
in the best interests of the children and
ensure that the space can accommodate a
stimulating learning environment. Money
must be reallocated to purchase the more
costly FSL resources to meet FI programs’
French-language technology needs. As
governments have encouraged the reeling
in of drug prices, so should they monitor
the prices of FI resources and intervene
on the part of FI educators when the costs
become exorbitant.
Hopefully some of these strategies
can help ease the burden on FI programs
because, despite ongoing challenges, FI
enrollments continue to grow in the wake
of rising demand. As former Canadian
Official Language Commissioner (2000-
2016) Graham Fraser observed, FI is a
program that “has enriched the lives of
millions of Canadians [and is] one of the
most successful Canadian educational
experiences available” viii . Ultimately, its
continued success will depend on the
degree to which we are able to resolve
its attendant challenges. n
i Government of Canada. (2020). Job Bank. Retrieved from
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/studentdashboard/13.1325/LOS05
ii Jacks, D. (2018). Répondre aux besoins du marché du travail en
enseignement du français langue seconde en Ontario. Ottawa; Canada :
Canadian Parents for French.
iii Association canadienne des professionnels de l’immersion (ACPI). (2018).
Rapport final: Consultation pancanadienne. Repéré à
https://www.acpi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Vol40_n1_
Printemps_2018_final_fr_web-1.pdf
iv Bayliss, D., & Vignola, M. J. (2007). Training non-native second
language teachers: The case of anglophone FSL teacher candidates.
Canadian Modern Language Review, 63(3), 371-398.
v Lapkin, S., MacFarlane, A., & Vandergrift, L. (2006). Teaching French
in Canada: FSL teachers’ perspectives. Ottawa, ON: Canadian
Teachers’ Federation.
vi Carr, W., Lapkin, S., Larson, E. J., Desgroseilliers, P. & Masson, M. (2019).
ACCÉDER AUX POSSIBILITÉS: Étude sur les difficultés liées à l’offre et
à la demande d’enseignants en français langue seconde au Canada.
Retrieved from
https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/sites/default/files/acceder-possibilite-fls.pdf
vii Government of Canada. (2018). Investing in our future 2018-2023:
Action plan for official languages. Retrieved from
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/pch/documents/services/
official-languages-bilingualism/official-languages-action-plan/
action-plan.pdf
viii Fraser, G. (2016). Of course French immersion is not perfect.
Retrieved from
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/of-course-frenchimmersion-is-not-perfect/article30394202
@OLP_PLO_Canada
CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021 5

THE
Krystina Baranowski
À L’UNIVERSITÉ DE SAINT-BONIFACE
In November 2020, Dr. Krystina Baranowski, a long time French teacher, passed
away. Her career spanned more than 4 decades of teaching, she was also
a strong advocate of French education and a close friend of CPF having most
recently served on the CPF Manitoba Branch Board of Directors.
With her passing and as a tribute to her love of French language, a bursary was
created with Université de Saint Boniface (USB), where she was a teacher for
30 years. Krystina made many contributions to educational activities at Saint
Boniface while also impacting the overall French educational landscape in Manitoba.
While she was raised in an English-speaking home, she became interested
in French at a very early age, she studied French literature at the University of
Manitoba, where she got the opportunity to go to France to work as an English
assistant and to improve her French.
Upon returning to Canada, she enrolled at USB to do a master’s degree. The
dean at the time and current Commissioner of Official Languages, Raymond
Théberge, encouraged her to stay and work as a teacher. n
If you are looking to support French in Manitoba, we encourage you to honor Kristina’s legacy
by donating to her bursary at USB. For more information and to make a donation, please visit:
https://ustboniface.ca/giving/krystyna-baranowski-fund.
UNIVERSITÉ DE SAINT-BONIFACE IS A FRENCH LANGUAGE UNIVERSITY IN MANITOBA, YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FUND
WILL SUPPORT THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS TAUGHT IN FRENCH WHILE ALSO HELPING FRENCH THRIVE IN THE PROGRAM.
FUND
FAREWELL
CATHERINE DAVIES WITH
SENATOR RAYMONDE GAGNÉ AT
THE 4TH ANNUAL FSL AWARENESS
BREAKFAST, OTTAWA, ON.
Catherine Davies who served as Branch Executive Director of CPF Manitoba for more than
17 years, stepped down in January 2021. The CPF MB Branch has grown remarkably under her
leadership. Catherine is well respected by colleagues, funders, partners, board of directors and staff.
She led with great ideas, but was also the first to roll up her sleeves to offer help in getting the job
done. Catherine shared freely and has been strongly supportive of all CPF Network collaboration
initiatives. CPF National notes that she has been a remarkable asset to our organization. We
acknowledge her steadfast commitment to CPF and wish her success in the future.
À la prochaine!
6 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

CPF BRANCHES FSL TEACHER RECRUITMENT
Your FSL teaching
career starts here.
Say Oui
To Becoming an
FSL Teacher in Ontario
SHOW ME
WHY
SHOW ME
HOW
Canadian Parents for French Ontario is excited to announce the
launch of “SayOui.ca” — a new website that encourages youth
to explore becoming a French second language teacher.
Student enrolment in the French
immersion (FI) program in Ontario
has enjoyed a 5.6 percent average
annual growth rate for fourteen
consecutive years. As more Canadians
understand the benefits of official
language bilingualism, the need to boost
the supply of qualified core French and
French immersion teachers in Ontario’s
60 English school boards is of critical
importance.
The new website will help boost the
number of French second language (FSL)
teachers in Ontario by inspiring secondary
and postsecondary students to explore
this career path.
The objectives of SayOui.ca are to:
> Promote greater awareness of the
pressing demand for FSL teachers as
a valued profession;
> Identify many experiential programs
for youth to enhance French language
skills while studying;
> Outline the educational paths to become
a teacher in Ontario with proficiency
in French and qualifications to teach
French as a second language in
the province;
> Provide links to all Faculties of Education
in Ontario offering programs that
lead to FSL teaching positions and
highlight the unique characteristics
of these programs.
The show me why section focuses on
these five elements:
1 FSL teachers are in high demand
2 Pride in acquiring a unique skill set
3 Flexibility of work schedule and holidays
4 Making a difference in students' lives
5 Security in salary, benefits, and pension
Take the Quiz – It’s fun!
The interactive quiz provides insight
into whether the profession is a good
fit for you. Wondering if your French is
strong enough? The site provides links to
current opportunities to build your French
proficiency and confidence along the way.
CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021 7

CPF BRANCHES FSL TEACHER RECRUITMENT
The new website will help boost the number of FSL teachers in Ontario by
inspiring secondary and postsecondary students to explore this career path.
The show me how section has a visual roadmap describing
sequential steps to achieve the goal of becoming a FSL teacher.
It gives information about Ontario’s universities, where to get a
degree, and how to get credentials.
SayOui.ca includes a lesson plan for teachers linked to the
grade 9 to grade 12 curricula in Guidance and Career Education,
core, extended, and French immersion classes.
We are grateful for the participation of an advisory
committee, a focus group and more than ten partner
organizations that have joined us in promoting SayOui.ca by
sharing information with their members in their newsletters,
on their websites, and on social media.
The next step is to enhance our promotional campaign to
the public at large and work with Faculties of Education to ensure
more opportunities open up for youth to pursue a Bachelor of
Education degree.
We invite you to check out SayOui.ca and start a conversation
with your child or students. Take the quiz today!
Canadian Parents for French Ontario gratefully acknowledges
the financial support of the Government of Canada and the
Government of Ontario for making this initiative possible. n
8 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

BECOME AN FSL TEACHER.
Find out how at SayOui.ca

CPF EVENTS PROGRAMMING
New Reality, New Lear
With the advent of COVID-19 school
closures, CPF has been adapting
all of its programming to the new
virtual reality, from Concours d’art oratoire to
the CPF Network Conference and offering more
resources online.
As students across Canada moved to
stay-at-home learning and online classes,
FSL students were among the most impacted
adding a whole new layer of challenges to
learning a new language. The need for resources
was evident as was the difficulty in adequately
supporting their child, especially for parents
who do not speak French.
The CPF Virtual French Tutoring program
started in spring 2020 with three pilot sites
in Ontario and as of September 2020, it is
now offered all across Canada. There are
approximately 500 students enrolled between
the ages of 6 and 14 years of age. They are
supported by more than 400 volunteers who
are at least 16 years old, bilingual and residing
in nine provinces.
Children spend one hour per week in a one-onone
session with a French speaking volunteer
tutor. Sessions take place virtually and so a
computer, camera, microphone and internet
connection are required. This is not an academic
program following a pre-determined curriculum.
They can work on whatever skills are identified as
needing the most improvement - reading, writing,
speaking, help with homework. Additionally,
registered students also have the opportunity of
practicing French through different activities like
small group conversation and book clubs. n
10 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

CPF PROGRAMMING
CPF EVENTS
ning Opportunities!
As students across
Canada moved to
online classes and
classroom teaching
was disrupted, French
second language
students were among
the most impacted as
it added a whole new
layer of challenges
to learning a
new language.
To learn more, you can contact your
CPF Branch directly. A new cohort
got underway in January 2021 and
the next group is scheduled for
April 2021.
NEW YEAR
New After School French Club
To complement the Virtual French
Tutoring, CPF has also launched
a new pilot After School French
program called the WIGUP Club
– this is for students interested
in independent learning using a
wonderful and safe multimedia
platform.
The WIGUP Club is open to
youth ages 9-14, who can access
more than 2000 videos in French
from around the world and on
different topics. It allows the
student to engage with French
speakers and work on tasks known
as “CreaCtivités”, which range from
photo projects to video interviews
that are to be shared on WIGUP.tv.
Every month, kids will unravel
their creativity and build confidence
in French as they meet other kids
from across the country. They will
explore and complete different
projects and be entered into draws
for prizes. The WIGUP Club is a
great complement to FSL students’
education as it focuses more on
the creative and social aspects of
learning a language.
The WIGUP Club pilot program
runs until March 31st, 2021 and
is free to all members – as CPF
is subsidizing the usual $25
monthly membership fee. The only
requirement is that the student
has to commit to participation for
a three-month period. For more
information about the Club or
to register, please visit the
CPF National website.
Stay tuned to CPF National’s
social media channels and to your
local Branch for more activities and
contests as they are launched! n
CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021 11

ELIA SAIKALY is a bilingual filmmaker and explorer whose
mission is to inspire people and help them live their most
meaningful life through his adventures. Elia’s journey is inspiring
and a great example of determination for young students.
Breaking world records, summiting Mount Everest,
surviving avalanches, these are only some of Elia’s
accomplishments and it is through these events that he
is able to help students discover their own journey.
In 2005, Elia travelled to Nepal with his friend Dr. Sean
Egan, who was trying to become the oldest Canadian to ever
scale Mt. Everest, he died trying to reach the summit. This
event was life changing for Elia, who had never climbed a
mountain before. He decided to honour Sean’s life by starting
a legacy project in his memory: FindingLife.
FindingLife started as a film project to share Dr. Egan’s life
journey but evolved organically into an organization that connects
students in the classroom to expeditions and adventures around the
world, in English and French. It is now a full-fledged interactive K-12
learning platform that combines adventure, technology, education
and charitable initiatives to inspire positive change in youth.
From the safety of their teacher-supervised classrooms,
students from both language groups embark on real-time
adventures and use social media to communicate and actively
participate in exciting expeditions.
12 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

FindingLife’s mission is to inspire
positive change in youth by bringing
the world right into their classrooms.
Besides participating in unique learning
opportunities, students are also able to
make a tangible difference in the lives of
others through fundraising campaigns.
Since 2005 Elia has been able to
inspire young students through
different adventures made possible
by FindingLife:
O FindingLife on Mt. Everest – more than 20,000
Canadian students followed Elia’s journey on his
way to the top summit.
O Mount Kenya – six Canadian students were paired with
students in Kenya as Elia and the team set their sights on
the highest peak in Kenya. Students witnessed not only
Mt. Kenya’s climbing but also Elia’s commitment to
giving back as he and his crew built classrooms for a
Kenyan community.
O Ascending Cho Oyu – students in Ottawa were inspired
by Elia’s adventure in Tibet, climbing the 6th highest
mountain on Earth.
O ePals on Mt. Everest – Elia took the popular ePals
community to Everest, where he connected students to
his thrilling adventure, all while filming a TV show and of
course, climbing to the summit!
O Other campaigns have had students raise money for
different causes like: a well in Kathmandu, an orphanage
in India, a new school in Banhaku and much more.
These are only a few examples of what FindingLife offers, it
creates immersive educational experiences by connecting students
in the classroom to world-class expeditions. These adventures have
helped students set their own goals and believe in themselves.
For FSL students, this is also a great opportunity to connect with
students across Canada in both languages and practise French.
Elia shared his journey during the CPF Network Virtual
Conference 2020 and he highlighted the importance of defining
from a very young age your own journey, as he sometimes
missed direction while growing up, he was able to find his life’s
purpose and that is why he is passionate about helping young
students do the same. n
Elia is currently in Pakistan on his way to
climb K2, the second highest mountain
in the world, to follow his most current
adventures, check out his Instagram
account, @eliasaikaly.
To learn more about FindingLife, Elia’s
journey or upcoming adventures for
your students, visit findinglife.ca and
eliasaikaly.com.
Université d’Ottawa | University of Ottawa
FRENCH IMMERSION
at uOttawa
A unique opportunity
with unparalleled support!
• French immersion available in 86 undergraduate programs
• Open to core, extended and French immersion students
• Special courses to make the transition to bilingual
university studies
• An extra $1,000 per year for studying bilingually
• An authentic bilingual environment in Canada’s capital
immersion@uOttawa.ca
www.immersion.uOttawa.ca
CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021 13

CPF AWARDS
MEET THE RECIPIENTS OF THE
CPF National Awards
of Recognition 2020
In October, in conjunction with the CPF Network Conference, Canadian Parents for French National recognized
three individuals who have contributed significant service to the organization and who have demonstrated
leadership in the advancement of French second language education and the promotion of linguistic duality.
These individuals often noted for their positive influence on others, have demonstrated a commitment to the
CPF mission, vision and values through their leadership, partnership building, and collaboration within their
respective communities and on a broader national, network scale.
It is because of our members, volunteers and staff that CPF is able to thrive and deliver its mandate.
Meet the three recipients of the CPF National Awards of Recognition 2020:
Dr. Matthew Hayday, Historian, author
and professor at the University of Guelph,
recipient of the CPF Distinguished Life
Membership, for sharing CPF’s mission
in a way that validates and motivates
advocates in advancing the promise of
bilingualism for children and in Canada
and for this personal investment and
willingness to share his expertise that
has helped CPF prosper. His professional
research has included 2 major books
"Bilingual Today, United Tomorrow"
(2005 McGill-Queen's University Press)
and "So They Want Us to Learn French"
(2015 UBC Press) on the history of
language policy in Canada.
Shannon Nelson, of Edmonton, Alberta,
recipient of the CPF National Volunteer
Award, for her more than 20 years
involved in the organization, sustaining
a CPF Chapter, leading at the Branch
level and putting her expertise to work in
obtaining successful fundraising and grant
applications which allowed French to
flourish in Grande Prairie, Alberta.
Candas Resch, recipient of the
CPF J. Elmer Hynes Staff Excellence in
Leadership Award, for her professional
service and financial skills at the CPF
Alberta Branch, ensuring its growth and
continued success by virtue of leading,
beyond the expected scope of work, in
event planning and management.
Join us in congratulating the three award recipients
for their leadership contributions. Félicitations!
14 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

CPF PARTNER RESOURCE
Festivals d'hiver
et orthographe
Wintry Festivals and Spelling Quiz
With unique festivals happening across the country all winter long, we have every reason to bundle up,
get outside and embrace all that our snowy Canadian winters have to offer!
But before you trade your blanket for your snow pants, test your spelling knowledge with our quiz!
Each of the 10 sentences below features a Canadian winter festival. See if you can choose the
correct spelling for the missing word.
1
2
Pendant
3
Le
4
Le
5
Le
Vous pourrez patiner sur la plus grande patinoire du
monde et jouer sur un ____________ terrain de jeu
hivernal au Bal de neige, qui a lieu chaque année en
février dans la capitale nationale.
a. imense
b. immanse
c. immense
la compétition Ice on Whyte qui a lieu à
Edmonton, les équipes de ___________ concurrentes
ont 34 heures pour transformer 15 blocs de glace en
une œuvre d'art.
a. sculpteurs
b. sculteurs
c. sculpteur
FROSTival de Fredericton a de quoi amuser petits et
grands : il comprend notamment des visites de _________
d'art, une journée d'art en famille et une fête en patins!
a. galleries
b. galléries
c. galeries
Festival du Voyageur met en valeur le patrimoine
francophone du Manitoba et propose un concours
de barbus, des ____________ en traîneau à chiens
et bien plus encore!
a. rendonnés
b. randonnées
c. randonées
festival SnowDays de Banff donne une rare
occasion d'assister à une épreuve de skijoring,
ou ski ____________ pendant laquelle des équipes
de skieurs de fond sont tirées par des chevaux
le long de l'avenue Banff.
a. attellé
b. atellé
c. attelé
6
Le
7
Au
8
Le
9
Inauguré
10
Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous offre des activités
pour le moins ____________ comme un concours de
cheveux gelés, le lancer de scie à chaîne et le lancer
de tronc d'arbre.
a. inédites
b. innédites
c. inédittes
festival Toonik Tyme d'Iqaluit, qui met à l'honneur la
culture inuite, la température ____________ est parfaite
pour construire des igloos et courir en traîneau à chiens.
a. artic
b. artique
c. arctique
Carnaval de Québec vous invite à rencontrer
Bonhomme dans son ____________ de glace, à
participer à un atelier de sculpture sur glace et
à prendre un bon bain de neige!
a. palais
b. pallais
c. palet
en 1898 par un amateur de ski
____________ le Rossland Winter Carnival,
qui a lieu en Colombie-Britannique, serait le
plus ancien festival d'hiver du Canada.
a. Norvégien
b. norvégien
c. norvègien
À l'occasion du Winter Festival of Lights de Niagara,
on peut parcourir en voiture un itinéraire de huit
kilomètres magnifiquement __________ par plus
de trois millions d'ampoules.
a. illuminé
b. illumminé
c. illuminné
Source: Language Portal of Canada, Translation Bureau, Public Services and
Procurement Canada, http://www.canada.ca/our-languages CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021 15

SPARKPATH
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR TEEN FOR JOBS
THAT DON’T EXIST YET
“What do you want to be
when you grow up?”
It seems like a simple and harmless
question. In fact, it is probably one of the
most common questions adults will ask
children from a very young age. From
parents to teachers and other relatives,
our society is focused on ensuring kids
know what their professional path will be.
But by asking this question, we are
not getting students to think broadly
about their future. Instead, we are
sending a limiting message: you only get
to be one thing later in life. When the
truth is, they will have many different
jobs over the course of their lives.
And although you might be thinking
that we have all experienced friends and
family asking that big question (We have!)
and that it is normal (It shouldn’t be!), we
need to start changing that mentality in
order to prepare the next generations,
in hopes that they live meaningful lives
where their careers will help them
achieve a greater purpose.
As children become teens and teens
become adults, they get closer to making
their decision. Some of them feel lost as
they can’t figure out what it is that they
want to do in life. A first step is to decide
what to study, but many, even after
obtaining their degree, are faced with an
16 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

uncertain future and an ever-changing
job market.
That is what SparkPath aims to
change. SparkPath is an organization that
helps better prepare the young for the
world or for work by exploring challenges.
Its founder JP Michel, who, since 2009
has helped high school and university
students develop their potential, helps
them set ambitious career paths that look
beyond job titles.
JP proposes what he calls the
“Challenge mindset”, which switches the
traditional approach to choosing a career
by focusing on real-world challenges,
not on job titles. Because in fact, the
problems that are hard to solve stick
around but the companies and types or
people that work on them change.
To support the mindset, SparkPath
has developed the “Challenge Cards,”
available in English and French, which are
an innovative tool that helps students
find the challenges and problems that they
want to work on. The cards are used by
high schools and colleges across the world.
The cards picture present-day
challenges like “engineering better
medicine” or “redesigning the healthcare
system.” While you might be thinking that
for those two examples the choices are
clearly a career in medicine or biology,
the cards help students realize that many
other jobs are needed to solve those
challenges. For example, the project
managers that keep tabs on people, the
people in human resources who hired
them, the people who look after the
equipment, etc., all work on the same
problem. Because yes, indeed, you can
be an accountant helping redesign the
transportation system.
The cards help reformulate the
question from “what do you want to be
when you grow up” to “what are the
problems that you want to solve,” which
according to its founder is a great way to
inspire youth as it allows them to try to
be the best for their job, even if it doesn’t
exist yet.
This new mindset has proven to be
helpful to students. In fact, in a case study
with grade 10 students from Ashbury
College in Ottawa, 89% of students
mentioned that the Challenge Cards
opened the doors to new possibilities.
On top of that, 96% of students enjoyed
doing the card sort. n
JP Michel is on a mission to change the way we prepare
people for their careers. His work in human resources consulting
gave him the opportunity to work with and learn from
some of the world’s largest organizations. JP took these
lessons learned to start his company, SparkPath, where he
does career and leadership development with youth and
leaders in both official languages. JP has a master’s degree
in industrial-organizational psychology and is the recipient
of the 2017 Outstanding Career Professional award from the
Career Professionals of Canada. JP was a keynote speaker at
the CPF Network Virtual Conference 2020.
To find out more about the Challenge mindset, you can visit
www.mysparkpath.com.
FOR MORE INFO
info@campt.ca
1.888.882.1889
VIRTUAL FRENCH
CLASSES, CAMPS
AND TUTORING
• Grade Specific Curriculum
• All French levels welcome
• Groups or Private
campt.ca
FRENCH DAY
CAMPS IN THE GTA
• Multiple Covid-Compliant Locations
• Fun Experiential Programs
• Learn To Love French!
brouilletacademy.ca
CampAd_v4.indd 1
2020-12-14 12:59 PM
CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021 17

CPF EVENTS
CPF Network
VIRTUAL Conference
In October, for the first time ever, the CPF Network Conference took place entirely online.
More than 85 sessions, 300 registered delegates and 18 sponsors made it a total success.
A
dapting the Network Conference
to a virtual format proved to be
a challenge at first, but in the
end, it allowed us to reach a wider
audience and to diversify the content.
Raise Your Flag for French was the title
of the 2020 edition, which included
topics like linguistic security, remote
and hybrid learning, mental health
during the pandemic and updates on
the FSL teacher recruitment and
retention projects underway to
address FSL education issues.
Feedback from Conference
delegates and long-time CPF members
was overwhelmingly positive. Many of
them shared with us that they were at
first doubtful about this new format but
were really pleased with the platform
and the content. However, they all
agreed that they missed the social and
networking aspect (in person) of the
traditional conference.
The Conference
at a Glance
The Conference started by having Keith
Spicer, Canada’s First Commissioner of
Official Languages chat about his time
as Commissioner, the Official Languages
Act and of course, CPF’s history. We were
also joined by the current Commissioner,
Raymond Théberge.
Parents were also thrilled to
hear inspiring keynotes from Olympic
medallist Clara Hughes, career coach
JP Michel and Filmmaker Elia Saikaly,
as they presented clear examples to
motivate children in their education and
their future. To learn more about Elia
and JP’s sessions, checkout the articles
on pages 12 and 16. Workshops about
language acquisition and practicing
French in the era of remote learning
were complemented by exhibitor
sessions sharing university programs,
language bursaries and other youth
opportunities.
New on the program, we included
socio-cultural activities for the whole
family to enjoy together. These ranged
My teenage daughter loved Clara’s keynote, as a
“
parent I was pleased to see that the conference
content could be of interest for the whole family.
”
Adam W. writes:
Salut!! Félicitations pour une très
belle journée!! Clara was incredible,
inspiring, so much wisdom that
I think we all needed to hear,
and Derrek’s session just now
with Amy and Ahdi was so
thought provoking.
Charles Z. writes:
I have joined many sessions.
My daughter is only 6 years old,
but we put the virtual concert on
last night, while she and her mom
played some games, and listened
to the concert at the same time.
It was really nice.
18 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

CPF EVENTS
from bilingual magic shows to French
concerts and movies to a Family French
Trivia Night. Without a doubt one of the
special surprises of the week was the
100% Franco Amérique French music
concert, made possible by our partner,
the Centre de la Francophonie des
Amériques.
While we hope we can someday go
back to meeting everyone in person, we
are very pleased with the results and the
response we got from our members. n
It has been an
“
honour to listen
to Keith Spicer.
His chat was
very nostalgic. ”
Be Brave, Speak French!
Linguistic Security
Advocacy Brief
The CPF National Research Support Working Group launched
the new advocacy brief “Be Brave! Speak French!” which tackles
linguistic security, one of our biggest challenges. This became
evident during other sessions. For example, Robert Talbot,
Research Manager at the Office of the Commissioner of Official
Languages, presented a survey about linguistic insecurity in the
federal government.
By the end of the week, delegates discovered so many new
resources and tools to continue advocating for FSL education and
had the opportunity for plenty of discussions with like-minded
individuals including to chat with the National Board of Directors. n
EDU-INTER FRENCH SCHOOL
IN QUEBEC CITY
Treat yourself or your loved ones to a 100% French immersion
in Quebec City. French programs for all ages with different activities
every day. On vous attend à Québec!
Adult programs
(16 years and over)
• Core and Intensive
programs available
• Small groups that allow more
speaking opportunities
• Multiple French levels are
available at all times
Complete your immersion
program by staying with one
of our homestay families
• Practice your French with
real “Québécois”
• Learn firsthand about Quebec’s
rich culture and history
• Enjoy a private room and a meal
plan during your whole stay
Can’t come right now?
Don’t worry, we have the
perfect virtual option for you!
Day and evening sessions
are available.
Teen and High School programs
(10 to 17 years)
• 10 different French summer
camp options (multiactivities,
sports, arts and much more)
• Residence and homestay
accommodation are available
• Students from 43 different
countries participate every year
• Semester and academic years
in French are possible through
our local high schools
Learn more
about Edu-inter!
learningfrenchinquebec.com
info@edu-inter.net
CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021 19

KEY CPF CONTACTS ACROSS CANADA
National office
1104 - 170 Laurier Ave. W., Ottawa, ON K1P 5V5
T: 613.235.1481
cpf@cpf.ca cpf.ca
Quebec office & Nunavut support
P.O. Box 393 Westmount, Westmount, QC H3Z 2T5
infoqcnu@cpf.ca qc.cpf.ca
British Columbia & Yukon
227-1555 W 7th Ave., Vancouver, BC V6J 1S1
T: 778.329.9115 TF: 1.800.665.1222 (in BC & Yukon only)
info@cpf.bc.ca bc-yk.cpf.ca
Alberta
211-15120 104 Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 0R5
T: 780.433.7311
cpfab@ab.cpf.ca
ab.cpf.ca
Northwest Territories
PO Box 1538, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P2
cpf-nwt@northwestel.net nwt.cpf.ca
Saskatchewan
303-115 2nd Ave. N., Saskatoon, SK S7K 2B1
T: 306.244.6151 TF: 1.800.561.6151 (in Saskatchewan only)
cpfsask@sasktel.net sk.cpf.ca
Manitoba
101-475 Provencher Blvd., Winnipeg, MB R2J 4A7
T: 204.222.6537 TF: 1.877.737.7036 (in Manitoba only)
cpfmb@cpfmb.com mb.cpf.ca
Ontario
103-2055 Dundas St. E., Mississauga, ON L4X 1M2
T: 905.366.1012 TF: 1.800.667.0594 (in Ontario only)
info@on.cpf.ca on.cpf.ca
New Brunswick
PO Box 4462, Sussex, NB E4E 5L6
T: 506.434.8052 TF: 1.877.273.2800 (in New Brunswick only)
cpfnb@cpfnb.net nb.cpf.ca
Nova Scotia
8 Flamingo Dr., Halifax, NS B3M 4N8
T: 902.453.2048 TF: 1.877.273.5233 (in Nova Scotia only)
cpf@ns.sympatico.ca ns.cpf.ca
Prince Edward Island
PO Box 2785, Charlottetown, PE CIA 8C4
T: 902.368.3703 ed@cpfpei.pe.ca pei.cpf.ca
Newfoundland & Labrador
PO Box 8601, Stn A, St. John’s, NL A1B 3P2
T: 709.579.1776 ed@cpfnl.ca nl.cpf.ca
TF: 1.877.576.1776 (in Newfoundland & Labrador only)
From a Safe Distance, Celebrate
French... Here, There & Everywhere!
D'une distance sécuritaire, célébrez
le français... Ici, là & partout!
20 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

Réputée pour sa qualité d’enseignement
Résultats scolaires supérieurs
Le plus haut taux de diplomation en Ontario
Le choix de sept parents sur dix
Recognized for its quality of teaching
Superior academic results
Highest graduation rates
The choice of 7 out of 10 francophone parents

The method that decodes the language.
read.
write.
speak
understand
lire.
écrire.
parler
comprendre