Photo by Whitehorse Star

Morgan Yuill

Yukon Party commits to communauté francophone

A Yukon Party government would work with l’Association franco-yukonnaise (AFY) to identify the priorities of the francophone community and avenues to ensure improved action and quality of life for francophones throughout the territory.

By Whitehorse Star on April 6, 2021

“A Yukon Party government is committed to working closely, respectfully and collaboratively with the territory’s francophone community,” Morgan Yuill, the Yukon Party candidate for Takhini-Kopper King, said last Thursday.

“By listening, we can partner to help support enhanced French language services and improved bilingual health and education outcomes and tourism initiatives.”

The party said it’s committed to:

• Improving access to French language services, including a review of the current Active Offer program to ensure it meets community needs.

• Moving forward with a bilingual health centre and developing a path forward for bilingual health services.

• Working with the Commission scholaire francophone du Yukon (CSFY), Yukon University and Yukon Education to offer French educational services in the territory.

• A dedicated seat on the Yukon University board of governors for a representative from the francophone community.

• Reviewing and renewing the funding partnership between the Yukon government and AFY to support French language training.

• Working with AFY to champion francophone immigration to the Yukon.

• Working with AFY to ensure long-term funding for French language tourism marketing.

“The Yukon Party team is a proud champion of our francophone community and its contributions to our territory’s rich diversity,” added Yuill.

Comments (10)

Up 6 Down 5

Darn on Apr 9, 2021 at 11:46 am

How can I take back my vote?

Up 4 Down 4

Sshhhhh on Apr 8, 2021 at 11:08 pm

Hey Mostyn your antlers are showing.

Up 9 Down 5

The power of lobbying on Apr 8, 2021 at 10:36 pm

Anyone here in the Yukon has to commit to the Francophone communauté because they have the power.
If French was not the second official language of Canada they would have absolutely zero influence here.

This is their main argument:
"The official languages of Canada are English and French, which "have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions of the Parliament and Government of Canada," according to Canada's constitution."
The constitution argument. No one can go against it I agree.

Since it is in the constitution they will fight you and sue you if you go against them.
And this is how for instance you end up with a new secondary school in Riverdale with a disastrous name with which they had to eventually remove the "LE" from it because of course if you really knew how to speak French you would already know that you don't put a pronoun before a building name.

What is more upsetting is that only 85 students were enrolled at the opening and the school can welcome a total of 150 students.
Tiny numbers when you look at all the other overcrowded secondary schools in Whitehorse.

So what can anyone can do about it? Nothing.
At least they have a very nice fire starter called L'Aurore Boréale. It is a free newspaper and you can get it at basically any store.
And when I mean it's free...actually..., it's probably a bit of your money or some of your neighbour's...
I am outrageously shocked by the French Canadian lobbying here because it is unfair for the rest of the people that are not part of that community.

Up 4 Down 4

Observer on Apr 8, 2021 at 6:56 pm

Hey BJoe, yes I would imagine you are getting sick of it. You probably have feasted on white privilege your whole entire life, why would you want things to change now. Not speaking for the French, but when it comes to FNs, change is coming, I am sure you see it everyday and I hope it upsets you big time.

Up 9 Down 4

Beaker on Apr 8, 2021 at 5:39 pm

Terrible divisive politics. It’s really sad seeing how inclusive les francophonies are to each other however cannot even share a school. They want their own this, own that. Why would you ever consider an olive branch to them? It’s absurd.

Up 34 Down 9

bonanzajoe on Apr 7, 2021 at 5:25 pm

This identity politics has to stop. It's literally making me sick, not to mention angry. My question, what did Quebec ever have to do with the 1898 Yukon gold rush and where is their culture in it? They're on a roll and won't stop until they are in complete control. If that makes me a racist, so cram it. What do you call them when they want to keep Quebec french. Francophone rights. No racism there folks.

Up 34 Down 15

Erik Brownstone on Apr 7, 2021 at 12:02 am

Mr. Yuill - What do the Anglophones in exchange get in Quebec?
What about First Nations - should they not come first?

Up 22 Down 22

Moose on Apr 6, 2021 at 8:28 pm

The Yukon Party just copying the Liberals again and again. This is almost getting comical if it wasn't sad.

Why should people vote for them if they are offering a platform so similar to the Liberals it's almost indistinguishable? I think there is some ancient parable about having to become your enemy in order to beat them. Perhaps that is their strategy?

Up 53 Down 9

Geicko on Apr 6, 2021 at 4:51 pm

I get the whole French thing but I draw the line at “ Working with AFY to champion francophone immigration to the Yukon”. That’s a total crock. We should not be babysitting this crowd and coercing them to come to The Yukon.

Up 40 Down 10

Lost my Vote on Apr 6, 2021 at 4:42 pm

Well, I had thought about voting PC, but definitely will not now because of this right here. Going to have to think about moving out of this wonderful territory with all these promises from politicians that promise to make every group special with more rights than me who has lived here for almost 50 years.

Don't you think the French Association is already THE best lobbyists in the Yukon? Just look at that high school for how many kids exactly??? Meanwhile, the rest of the schools are over-crowded and have to resort to using trailers to add much needed space.

Do we seriously want to champion francophone immigration here? Why are we championing immigration at all when there's not enough houses for the people already here, not enough land, not enough social housing, not enough doctors, not enough hospital beds, not enough infrastructure to support all these special groups with special needs and special votes!!!

AND a guaranteed seat at the College (oops, university) Board? How about a seat for Yukoners that have been here for generations?
I'm going to kiss the Yukon I know goodbye as I hardly recognize it anymore. I'm pretty sure I won't recognize it at all after this election. smfh

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