Franco-Albertan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Franco-Albertans are an extended community of French Canadians or French-speaking people living in Alberta. They are centered in the Bonnie Doon area of Edmonton, and there are tens of thousands of Franco-Albertans living in communities such as Bonnyville, Plamondon, and St. Paul, primarily in northwestern area such as the Municipal District of Smoky River No. 130, Alberta-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 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.

Notable Franco-Albertans include Father Albert Lacombe, Crystal Plamondon, often called "Canada's Cajun Queen", Les Bûcherons, a duo which presents French-Canadian music and dance to audiences throughout the province, and provincial MLA Denis Ducharme.

[edit] Other Notable Franco-Albertans

Chris Benoit - Professional wrestler.
Denis Ducharme - Politician, Chair of the Francophone Secretariat.
Robert Goulet - Canadian/American entertainer. Immigrated/emigrated with his French-Canadian from Massachusetts to northern Alberta when he was three months old.
Hector Goudreau - Politician of francophone descent.
Benoit Pariseau - Author and broadcaster. He is also a distant cousin of former Québec premier Jacques Pariseau.
Leo Piquette - Alberta politician, francophone minority right advocate.
Crystal Plamondon - Canada's Cajun Queen.
Edouard Hector Rouleau - Medical doctor, Conservative Politician, pioneer of Calgary.
Claudette Tardif - francophone Canadian Senator for Alberta, of Ukrainian descent.