Moncton, a bilingual city

by Mireille Leblanc – Moncton, New Brunswick

Moncton became Canada’s first officially bilingual city in August 2002, and the city hums with the different accents of its citizens, who live their daily and cultural lives in both official languages. The mayor has enrolled in French second-language courses so he can address voters in the language of their choice, and the Université de Moncton is an essential institution for maintaining the vitality of the Francophone minority.

At the corner of Main and Botsford streets, the citizens of Moncton sip coffee and discuss current events, easily jumping from one language to the other to best express themselves. Further along Main Street, the Capitol Theatre presents a full program of events in both official languages, including bilingual activities on occasion. Across town, at an ideal site for large outdoor concerts, Quebec band Alfa Rococo (in French only) was among the artists invited to open for Bon Jovi this past June. And who could forget the Frye Festival, a bilingual literary event that has earned an enviable reputation across Canada and that enables festival-goers to explore the treasure trove that is the other language? Needless to say, every aspect of bilingualism is alive and well in Moncton!

“Moncton is a cosmopolitan city and a large part of its attraction is its bilingual character. For example, Moncton gives Anglophones the opportunity to enjoy French-language activities that they would not have as much of a chance to experience elsewhere,” says Mayor George LeBlanc, who estimates that at least half of the 126,000 residents of the Moncton region are bilingual.

A student mayor

With a typically Acadian surname like “LeBlanc,” it would be natural to assume that the mayor’s first language is French. His father was in fact Acadian, but at home they spoke the language of his mother, an Anglophone from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. “My mother didn’t understand French. When we were young, we didn’t think of these things and it wasn’t until later in my life that speaking French became more important,” says the mayor, who pursued his entire education in English.

Since being elected leader of a bilingual municipality, George LeBlanc has been attending French classes three times a week and strives to use his second language every day. “My French has improved substantially since I became mayor. I speak French every day, and I always use French in my speeches,” he says with pride, adding that he hopes to take a trip shortly that will allow him to immerse himself in the language.

A bilingual economic engine

As mayor, George LeBlanc cannot deny the economic benefits his municipality enjoys as a result of bilingualism. These include attracting businesses that seek a bilingual workforce. “There is no doubt that Moncton has experienced more dynamic and rapid growth because of its bilingualism,” he says. He believes that prosperity and economic development are closely linked to the municipality’s cultural and artistic life, which is enriched considerably by its two linguistic communities.

Moncton’s bilingualism also positions it advantageously as the gateway for a new large-scale ecotourism project involving the cities of Saint John, Sussex and Moncton as well as Fundy National Park. “Moncton will be one of the anchors of the Fundy gateway and our status as a bilingual city will attract tourists from Quebec and northern New Brunswick,” adds Mr. LeBlanc.

The Université de Moncton, a beacon for the Francophone population

At the heart of Moncton’s Francophone minority community are institutions such as the Université de Moncton. Canada’s largest French-language University outside Québec, the Université de Moncton has been producing leaders from the New Brunswick Acadian community since 1963.

Rodrigue Landry, Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities, whose offices are located on the Université de Moncton campus, sees the institution as a core element in ensuring the Francophone linguistic vitality of the community. “I don’t think there’s another university in Canada that has as much impact on its community as the Université de Moncton,” he says, mentioning its visibility, economic impact and leadership in cultural autonomy.

“The Université de Moncton gives status to French in Moncton. When we see French being used by something as important as a university, the perception is that the French language is important,” Mr. Landry adds.

Moncton has come a long way from the thorny municipal debates of the late 1960s, when the French language and the Acadian community were accorded very little respect. Francophones’ contribution to the development of Moncton and relations between the two linguistic communities are at the root of Moncton’s dynamic nature today.

Credits

Credits: City of Moncton