North American Francophone and Francophile Cities Network JOIN TOGETHER | GROW TOGETHER | THRIVE TOGETHER North American Francophone and Francophile Cities Network JOIN TOGETHER | GROW TOGETHER | THRIVE TOGETHER CONTENTS 4 OVERVIEW Mission and objectives Supporting each other to preserve francophone heritage Contributing to the vitality of francophile communities Supporting the economic development of member communities Cooperation to address the member’s needs Implementation calendar 8 QUÉBEC CITY: CRADLE OF LA FRANCOPHONIE IN NORTH AMERICA Québec, North America’s preeminent francophone city A uniquely different historic city A thriving cultural city A compelling archaeological heritage A spectacular natural setting 12 ACADIA: NORTH AMERICA’S OLDEST FRENCH-SPEAKING SOCIETY A turbulent colonial history A society is rebuilt An Acadian “Quiet Revolution” 17 APPENDIX 1: NORTH AMERICAN FRANCOPHONE SPACE Exploration, trade, The Midwest and hybridization The Canadian West The Great Lakes California and the Gold Rush Illinois country The U.S. Francophonie today: Louisiana diaspora, metropolitaniza- The Canadian prairies tion, and cosmopolitanism Migrations, family, Former homelands and diversity New Francophonies New England 18 APPENDIX 2: THE BREADTH AND SCOPE OF FRENCH-SPEAKING NORTH AMERICA History French in the United States French in Canada Colleagues, Partners, Friends, The Francophonie in North America embraces millions scattered all across this broad continent. We as mayors have a duty to protect the rich heritage bearing witness to the French fact in North America and to support a contemporary Francophonie solidly anchored in our Canadian and American communities. It is therefore with great pleasure that we invite you to join our communities — Québec City, Québec, Lafayette, Louisiana, and Moncton, New Brunswick — in founding a network of North American francophone and francophile cities. Régis Labeaume, Mayor of Québec City The network’s mission will be to draw its members’ and the world’s attention to those cities that are historically, culturally, and linguistically connected to the French fact in North America. We seek with this initiative to support the vitality of today’s francophone and francophile communities while preserving our common heritage for future generations. We look forward to counting you among us at our future events! Joey Durel, George LeBlanc, Mayor of Lafayette Mayor of Moncton 4 Overview OVERVIEW The mayors of Québec, Quebec; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Moncton, New Brunswick — all prominent French-speaking cities in North America — have proposed that a continent-wide network of francophone and francophile municipalities and communities be founded to celebrate their cities’ shared history, heritage, and expertise. MISSION SUPPORTING EACH OTHER AND OBJECTIVES TO PRESERVE FRANCOPHONE HERITAGE The primary mission of this The network members would pledge to work together proposed network of cities to preserve and develop their francophone heritage, linked historically, culturally, like traces of the colonization process or the and linguistically to the French French Regime, buildings bearing witness reality in North America would be to the French Canadian migrations to further knowledge about these and memorial sites.. communities — among themselves A possible first step might be to inventory the cultural and around the world — and to and historical heritage relating to the French reality promote their many attractions. in North America. Municipal governments could partner The network would also with institutions like Québec City’s Musée de l’Amérique assist its members in francophone to do this. The resulting list could be • supporting each other to preserve promoted through a virtual introduction that would their francophone heritage, feed into a tourist route discussed below. • contributing to the vitality Members would also be encouraged to showcase of francophile communities, their francophone heritage on their • supporting the economic municipal websites. development of member communities, and Network members with heritage preservation • cooperating to address the and promotion teams in place could also make them needs of members. available to other members through cooperative exchanges. 5 Overview DID YOU KNOW? 9 of America’s 15 of America’s 50 state capitals 50 states have have French French or names or names French-derived names CONTRIBUTING TO THE VITALITY OF that come (Delaware, New Jersey, FRANCOPHILE COMMUNITIES from French Louisiana, Maine, (Baton-Rouge, Boise, Oregon, and Vermont) Mayors Régis Labeaume of Québec, Joey Durel Des Moines, Juneau, of Lafayette, and George LeBlanc of Moncton or French explorers’ Montgomery, Montpelier, hope to spur and support the initiatives and versions of Native Pierre, Richmond, accomplishments of North American American names and Saint Paul), not francophone communities and encourage (Arkansas, Illinois, counting Little Rock their fellow mayors to follow suit. Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, (originally Petite Roche) Mississippi, Missouri, A number of outside partners would be approached or Cheyenne (a French Ohio, and Wisconsin). and encouraged to work with the communities word of Lakota origin). in establishing the network, including French-language organizations such as Alliance Française, tourism offices, chambers of commerce, universities, research centres, genealogy centres, and others. Many regional associations of municipalities could also play an important role or even join the network 2 mayors of Los 4 American as members, thus affording an opportunity for smaller Angeles were presidents cities to be represented on a permanent basis. French Canadians: (John Tyler, James B. Garfield, Theodore Québec City is home to Centre de la francophonie Damien Marchesseault Roosevelt, and Franklin des Amériques, whose mission includes the (1818–1868), mayor D. Roosevelt) and promotion of dialogue, partnerships and from 1859 to 1865 who revolutionary hero French-language networks aimed at supporting built today’s Sunset Paul Revere seminal social projects and keeping the world Boulevard, and Prudent were all of up to date on francophone-related themes. Beaudry (1818–1893), Huguenot descent. The network is a perfect fit with this mission, the city’s 13th mayor, and the Centre’s involvement would make its in office from 1874 expertise available to network members. to 1876, whose brother Jean-Louis was mayor Québec City is also home to several genealogical of Montréal at the associations as well as Fédération des associations same time. de familles du Québec. These organizations assist people of French Canadian descent from all over North America to retrace their roots, find out more about their ancestors, and reestablish family ties lost in time. 6 Overview DID YOU KNOW? New England writers Half the foreign Jack Kerouac films and 30% of all (On the Road), foreign books in Annie Proulx (Brokeback Mountain, the United States The Shipping News), are in French. and Grace Metalious SUPPORTING THE ECONOMIC (author of Peyton DEVELOPMENT OF MEMBER Place and whose real name was Marie COMMUNITIES Grace DeRepentigny) all had French La Francophonie is very much alive in North America, and the continent’s millions Canadian parents. There’s a French Canadian on of French speakers in communities both the American small and large deserve the best efforts “golden dollar.” of their elected officials to provide them with the optimum conditions to thrive It’s Jean-Baptiste under. Often the best way to do so Charbonneau, the son is to support their communities’ of Sacagawea economic development. and Toussaint One of the first initiatives the North American Charbonneau—two Francophone and Francophile Cities Network of the guides and might undertake could be to establish a interpreters on Lewis Between a third tourist trail connecting the members together. and Clark’s expedition and half of all It could take the form of a shared website across the West. basic words in where potential travellers from inside and English come Baby Jean-Baptiste outside the network could plan trips to explore Charbonneau sleeps North America’s francophone heritage. from French, peacefully, unaware including pedigree, surf, Partnership in the trail would benefit all that he will one day view, strive, challenge, network members by drawing thousands be immortalized by pride, staunch, and war, of North American travellers looking for the U.S. mint. as well as more obvious French-language services as well as European ones like roulette, tourists seeking out North America’s automobile, garage, francophone roots in Acadia or Louisiana, lingerie, restaurant, on cruises down the Mississippi, or at crayon, bouquet, leading urban attractions and festivals. and boutique. The potential for development of business relationships among member cities’ chambers of commerce is also far from insignificant. The increasingly widespread concept of “smart cities” is another avenue to explore in bringing network members closer together. 7 Overview The Old City, Québec City’s historic district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site COOPERATION TO ADDRESS IMPLEMENTATION THE MEMBER’S NEEDS CALENDAR The new network offers North American francophone and francophile The network’s first preparatory communities an international forum where they can discuss and think meeting will be held at Grand about La Francophonie, history, culture, heritage, economy, tourism, Sault, New Brunswick, on August and other common concerns. It could even lead to greater