[Backgrounder]OTTAWA, March 5, 2004 - The Honourable Denis Coderre, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada and La Francophonie, today officially launched the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie 2004 in the Public Service of Canada. This event aims to celebrate and promote the Francophonie in Canada and marks the start of a series of activities that will take place between March 5 and 21, 2004 across the country."The Rendez-vous celebrates the vitality and strength of French culture in Canada," said Minister Coderre. "Our linguistic duality reflects our commitment to our values of openness, diversity, inclusion and respect."Mr. Coderre opened the ceremony before more than 500 guests assembled at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. The minister noted that "linguistic duality is at the heart of our identity."The Rendez-vous invites Canadians to celebrate French language and culture, as well as the artists, athletes, scientists and all francophones who help preserve the cultural heritage of francophone communities in Canada.Other distinguished guests helped ensure the successful launch of the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. Michel Tétu, francophonie specialist, delivered a spellbinding presentation in honour of the 400th anniversary of Acadian settlement, and Michel Noël, a writer and storyteller of Aboriginal descent from Quebec, shared his knowledge of our first settlers. The musical portion of the launch was offered by accordionist Benoît Rébillard and singer Lina Boudreau, from New Brunswick. The Masters of Ceremony were cultural commentator Jasmine Lalonde and Radio-Canada television host Christian Milette.- 30 -To find out about activities related to the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie 2004 in your region, visit the website at www.rendezvousfrancophonie.com. For further information, contact:Sarah BainPress SecretaryOffice of the President of theQueen's Privy Council for Canada(613) 943-1838Chantal ScarlettMedia Relations and Parliamentary AffairsPublic Service Human ResourcesManagement Agency of Canada(613) 952-3272IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.TTY (Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired) - (613) 957-9090Additional copies of this release are available through www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pshrmac-agrhfpc/. The recently created Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada is updating its Internet site. Its new website address will be announced shortly.BackgrounderBiographical NotesLina BoudreauLina Boudreau hails from New Brunswick. She first made her name as finalist in the singer-songwriter category of the Festival international de la Chanson de Granby. Lina's work in the musical Café Rimbaud charmed her audiences, and she landed a role in the third edition of Starmania. She has been on tour in Canada and Europe with Quebec singing stars of the likes of Jean-Pierrre Ferland and Roch Voisine. Lina has travelled round the world, has been in feature films, and has released three albums, including a Christmas album.Michel NoëlMichel Noël was born in Messines, Quebec. He spent his childhood in logging camps in Maniwaki, Abitibi and Parc de la Vérendrye. After attending teacher's college at École normale de Hull, he went to Laval University for his postgraduate work, earning a licence in literature, an M.A. and a Ph.D. He has published over thirty books in the past ten years, including references, children's stories, plays for young people, and articles in specialized journals. Michel Noël won the Governor General's Award in 1997 for Pien (Éditions Michel Quintin, publisher). He is a regular speaker in high schools, colleges and universities and at meetings, contributing his views on North American Native Peoples' issues.Daniel RicherDaniel Richer, town crier par excellence, raconteur, actor, host and former history teacher, has made an international reputation for himself in his field since 1981. He has won awards, such as the 2001 International Town Crier Championship in Chester, U.K. Daniel Richer can really bring our history to life. His traditional costumes and shows please audiences of all kinds and ages. Benoît RébillardWhen he was just a little boy, Benoît Rébillard wanted to play the drums but since he couldn't, he insisted on learning how to play the accordion like his cousin Frank. His family enrolled him in the Accordéon Club de Bretagne accordion school in the Brittany region of France. After only three months, the young Benoît's talent as an accordionist was already apparent. He continued to play after moving to Canada. His audiences greatly enjoy his stylings on the button accordion.Michel TétuMichel Tétu is President and Executive Director of the journal L'Année francophone internationale and a professor at Laval University. He is a specialist in la Francophonie. His resumé is impressive: he is a regular guest on Radio-Canada news programs, a sought-after public speaker, with many publications to his credit, and serves as the director of literary collections in both Canada and France, as well as organizing international conferences. A graduate of l'Institut Social de Lyon, Prof. Tétu has in the past headed the Department of French at Laurentian University in Sudbury and the Department of French Language and Literature at Laval University in Quebec City. He has earned many scholarships and awards, and is an officer of the Ordre national du mérite and a knight of the Légion d'honneur (France).
