From Majority to Minority

1. From Majority to Minority Francophones in the West

2. Canada is made up of many different people, from many different places, with many different beliefs and ideas • This makes for a very unique cultural identity within our country and this unique identity is thanks to immigration! • But what happened to the people who were already living here?

3. A Storm Brewing • Francophone Metis and Canadiens lived in the West long before immigrants began to arrive • These people hoped that the West would be bilingual • Before the arrival of other European immigrants, French was the primary language in the West • However, the government advertised Canada’s West as English speaking and this was what newcomers were expected to learn

4. Using French in Government • The Constitution Act in 1867 said that members of the Federal Parliament could speak English or French • The Manitoba Act also agreed to make English and French both official languages • However, in 1870, government voted to make English the official language • This angered many Franco-Manitobans • In 1979, the Supreme Court of Canada overturned this ruling, once again making French and English the official languages in Manitoba • Many battles have been fought provincially, but language rights still remains at the power of the Provincial Government

5. The Manitoba Schools Question • Francophones wanted to protect their language rights • Many schools were Roman Catholic and were taught in French • This matched the current demographic in Western Canada • As more immigrants began moving West, they insisted that Protestant Schools be established and that the language of instruction be in English • Soon, there were more Protestant schools and the Manitoba government stopped funding Catholic Schools • This violated the terms of the Manitoba Act • The Francophone community felt very betrayed by both their provincial and federal government

6. Using French in Schools in the Northwest • The Charter of Rights and Freedoms, established in 1982, finally guaranteed the rights of Franophones in Canada • In the meantime, Francophones were left to preserve their culture without assistance • They did this in the following ways: • Published their own newspapers • Built hospitals and churches • Organized social clubs • Established French radio stations • Private Catholic Schools were also opened

7. Franco-Albertan Citizens in Action • French Albertans fought extremely hard for their rights to French education • They fought so hard that they convinced the Albertan government to change the Alberta School Act • Alberta is officially a bilingual province

8. Building An Economy • By the 1920s, the National Policy was in full swing • Businesses were prospering and trade was doing well across the country • The Canadian Pacific Railway (now completed) carried goods, farm produce, and people from coast to coast • Small communities were being established along the rail line

9. An Unfair Policy • Not everything was great across the country, however • The tariffs that were placed on foreign goods made it expensive for farmers in the West to purchase farm equipment from the United States • Farmers in the West felt that tariffs were only beneficial in Eastern Canada • In response to this, two groups were formed • In 1901, they established the Territorial Grain Growers Association • In 1909, the United Farmers of Alberta was formed