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
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper learned French while studying in Aix-en-Provence when he was in college. Don't believe it? Check out this interview he did with media in France to promote his film, The Hangover 2. In the interview he answers questions from French fans!
Alex Trebek
The beloved late Alex Trebek hosted Jeopardy! for 37 seasons. That’s over 7,500 episodes! He was intelligent, quick-witted...and spoke French! His mother was Franco-Ontarian and Alex credited his mom for inspiring him to learn French. Check out this acceptance speech where he praises Franco-Canadian culture, in both our official languages.
Serena Williams
With 23 Grand Slam titles under her belt, Serena Williams is one of the most dominant tennis players of all time. She learned French as a teenager because she dreamed of winning the French Open and accepting her trophy in French...which she did in 2002. In this interview, she's back at Roland Garros speaking French with a reporter in Paris.
Sam Roberts
Sam Roberts and his band have been nominated for fourteen Juno Awards, winning six! They were named Artist of the Year twice and Album of the Year once. Growing up in Montréal, Sam was exposed to English and French from an early age and in this video clip he shares why he thinks bilingualism is so important.
Annamie Paul
Annamie Paul is the first Black Canadian and Jewish woman to be elected as a leader of a federal party in Canada. Growing up in Toronto, her mother was determined that she and her siblings would grow up bilingual. This French interview was done right after she was nominated as the new leader of the Green Party of Canada.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow is an Academy Award winning actress and creator of the GOOP lifestyle brand. She recently starred in the Iron Man movie series as Pepper Potts and showed off her French speaking skills in an interview alongside Robert Downey Jr. She might not be fluent, but we give her an ‘A’ for effort!
Canadian Parent for French Releases French as a Second Language Enrolment Statistics 2018-2019
It's that time of year! The FSL Enrolment Statistics for the 2018-2019 school year are now available. Learn more about its key findings and what does it mean for CPF.
Canadian Parents for French Welcomes Federal Government’s Proposed Reforms to the Official Languages Act
The Government of Canada published a document that outlines its position to modernize the Official Languages Act. CPF reacts to the news and fully supports the proposed changes.
Celebrating Canadian French Language Books: The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier
Filled with humour, nostalgia, and an abiding love for our game, Le chandail de hockey is deservedly considered a classic in Canadian children's literature.
Canadian Parents for French Joins “Marathon de Lecture” Initiative in Support of UNICEF Canada
We are proud to launch the Marathon de Lecture (French Reading Marathon), a fundraising project looking to make a social impact while promoting the pleasure of reading in French among young Canadians.
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.
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