Become a Member - It's FREE
Join our community and get French second language (FSL) resources and support. Membership matters.
Volunteer
Learn more about volunteering with CPF and make a difference in your community today!
In 1977, Keith Spicer was serving as Canada’s first-ever Commissioner of Official Languages. Interested in the bilingualism of Canada’s youth, he met with groups of parents across Canada who wanted their children to learn French as a second language (FSL) but who ran into roadblocks at the local school boards.
To get the ball rolling, Mr. Spicer offered to find some seed money—enough to organize a national conference of like-minded parents. The result was an event called “Parents’ Conference on French Language and Exchange Opportunities,” which took place in Ottawa in March of 1977. It was during this weekend-long conference that Canadian Parents for French was officially founded as a volunteer-based advocacy group, a collective of parents who wanted to ensure that children would have the opportunity to become bilingual in the Canadian school system.
The first conference determined a few things that are fundamental to the history of CPF. The group outlined its goals and elected its first National Board of Directors, led by inaugural president Pat Webster of Ontario. Her fellow directors were Judith Madley (British Columbia), David Sanders (Prairie Region), Elizabeth Annesley (Quebec), and Mary Lou Morrison (Atlantic Region).
This original small group of concerned parents who met in Ottawa over 40 years ago has evolved into a proactive national network with 12 Branches and Offices and some 150 Chapters in communities coast to coast to coast.
CPF Milestones
Come with us on a journey through time! Discover the beginnings of Canadian Parents for French, learn about our leading accomplishments over the last 40+ years, and follow the winding road of our quest to change the face of education in Canada.
Timeline
2024
Canadian Parents for French célèbre la Journée nationale de l’immersion en français de 2024
Ottawa, le 24 avril 2024 – En cette Journée nationale de l’immersion française, le réseau national Canadian Parents for French se joint à ses partenaires de la dualité linguistique pour sensibiliser le public à l’importante contribution de l’immersion en français à l’édification d’une société […]
Canadian Parents for French Celebrates National French Immersion Day 2024
Ottawa, April 24th, 2024 – On this National French Immersion Day, the Canadian Parents for French national network joins with its linguistic duality partners to raise public awareness of the important contribution of French immersion toward a strong, dynamic and […]
A Horse in the Sea: Advocating for the Future of Children
A must read for everyone interested in education! Discover a new method to prepare kids for life through the journey of Canadian education entrepreneur and television producer, Mark Chatel. In this autobiographical story, Mark shares his journey searching for the […]
Canadian Parents for French Welcomes Funding Increase for Official Language Community Organizations
Canadian Parents for French (CPF) was delighted to learn about a $62.5 million core funding increase over five years for official language community organizations.
2023
Canadian Parents for French Recognizes Volunteers and the Power of Collective Action
Canadian Parents for French would like to thank its volunteers across the country and recognize their important contributions to the organization and to the advancement of French learning opportunities.
Canadian Parents for French Releases French as a Second Language Education Enrolment Statistics 2021-2022
CPF is releasing the French as a Second Language Enrolment Statistics for the 2021–2022 school year.
Open Letter in Response to Article Published by the Globe and Mail
CPF was troubled by an article published by the Globe and Mail on October 16, 2023. Read our reaction to the article in which we voiced our concerns and responded to the issue.
CPF Official Languages and Indigenous Languages Education in Canada
The CPF discussion paper, Official and Indigenous Languages Education in Canada, was written to provide background about these languages, including recent changes in government legislation and funding, along with a snapshot of current efforts to provide educational opportunities across Canada.
French Footprints: FSL in the Early Years
Canadian Parents for French is excited to announce the official course launch of “French Footprints: FSL in the Early Years” in partnership with Families Canada and 123 Petits Pas.
National Child Day: Canadian Parents for French Launches French Footprints: FSL in the Early Years
On National Child Day, Canadian Parents for French (CPF) is excited to announce French Footprints: FSL in the Early Years, in partnership with Families Canada and 123 Petit Pas.
Come with us on a journey through time! Discover the beginnings of Canadian Parents for French, learn about our leading accomplishments over the last 40+ years, and follow the winding road of our quest to change the face of education in Canada
CPF recognizes individuals who have rendered significant service to the organization and who have demonstrated leadership in the advancement of French second language education.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW 2020 AWARD RECIPIENTS AND TO NOMINATE FOR 2022 AWARDS.
We need YOU!
As a non-profit organization, we can’t do what we do without your support.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter and receive French second language (FSL) news and opportunities.