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Celebrations of the Bastille day on July 14 [fr]

The Consul General of France in Vancouver, Nicolas Baudouin, welcomed over 140 guests to celebrate 14 July, in the presence of the Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Health and Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs, and Ken Sim, Mayor of Vancouver. The reception opened with a speech by the Consul General, providing an opportunity to look back over the past year and recall the strong ties between France and Canada.

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Nicolas Baudouin began by highlighting France’s commitment to reconciliation and the Consulate’s work to address on First nations issues, particularly in the context of the visit of a delegation from New Caledonia to British Columbia in April and the signing of an educational cooperation agreement between the two territories. Cooperation between Canada and France extends as far as the Pacific and our overseas collectivities.

France is also working to promote bilingualism in Western Canada. For instance, the Cousteau International School has just celebrated its 25th anniversary and the partnership between the University of British Columbia and Sciences Po its 10 years. The French presence can count on long-standing partners such as the Alliance Française, which will soon be inaugurating its new centre in Vancouver, as well as on new initiatives such as the launch of a new platform for Canadian alumni who have studied in France and wish to maintain a link with France to exchange advice or job offers.

Franco-Canadian collaboration is expanding in many areas, with an increase in joint research projects in quantum physics, AI and virtual reality, tourism, gastronomy (Vancouver became a Michelin Guide destination in 2022). Both France and Canada are also sharing the experience of hosting some of the biggest international sporting events in the near future, with the Rugby World Cup in France in September 2023 and, of course, the Olympic Games in Paris in the summer of 2024, while Vancouver will be hosting 6 matches in the 2026 Football World Cup, an opportunity to strengthen our cooperation in the sporting field. France and Canada are also committed to tackling climate change and fighting wildfires, and while French firefighters are currently battling the flames alongside their Quebec comrades, the water bombers manufactured by Conair in Abbotsford (British Columbia) are proving invaluable in helping firefighters fight fires in France.

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The Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Health and Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs in British Columbia, then presented the best wishes for the national day of Premier David Eby and his entire government. Mr Dix praised the extraordinary efforts of the Consul General of France, Nicolas Baudouin, to open up to the province and the various communities that make British Columbia. The Minister underlined the importance of French in British Columbia, which is increasingly practised by young people. French immersion programmes had 30,000 enrolments at the beginning of the century, and now reach 55,000 every year. The Hon. Adrian Dix also paid tribute to the young firefighter who died while responding to a fire in British Columbia and recalled the support of French firefighters who came to Canada to fight fires. British Columbia, and more broadly Canada and France, are fighting a common battle against climate change, while the French government, through Elizabeth Borne, is going to increase its funding for biodiversity to "almost a billion euros" by 2024.

Finally, "this moment of national celebration is a moment to reflect on the greatness of France, of course, and on our links with France, of course, but also on the ability of human beings living in France to face great difficulties and to succeed [...]. Long live the Republic and long live France! Adrian Dix.

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Ken Sim, the Mayor of Vancouver, also gave a speech on behalf of the City of Vancouver to wish all the French people a happy Bastille Day, and he emphasised the extent to which France shines throughout the world thanks to its culture, its gastronomy, its fashion and its sportsmen and women. He was joined on stage by Marie-Claire Howard, the first French citizen to be elected to Vancouver City Council and Director of the Alliance Française, who added that the Alliance Française would be inaugurating its new cultural centre by the end of the year.

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Consul General Nicolas Baudoin concluded the ceremony by granting French citizenship to five British Columbia residents.

« So today marks the culmination of your efforts to become French, but also, I hope, the beginning of a commitment for the rest of your life. I invite you to continue this commitment with your children, so that they too can share the language and values that are now yours.
I am sure that, like the 100,000 foreigners who become French every year, you will contribute in your own way to the enrichment of our country through your work, your talents and your energy.
On behalf of the French Republic, it is an honour and a pleasure for me to warmly welcome you to our national community », Nicolas Baudouin, Consul General of France in Vancouver.

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We would like to thank all our partners, who made the organisation of 14 July such a success: Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia from the Provence marina side restaurant, Franck and Linda Point, founders of the Faubourg bakery, Frank Buiron, head pastry chef at the Atelier Patisserie and Schneider Electric, a world leader in energy-efficient solutions for businesses and a major contributor to exports and employment in British Columbia.

On the occasion of the 14th of July, Consul General Nicolas Baudouin, answered questions from Radio-Canada about the Consulate’s missions in Western Canada and more specifically about the situation of the French in Saskatchewan.

Dernière modification : 20/07/2023

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