April 16, 2004OTTAWA – His Excellency John Ralston Saul will spend three days in Calgary, Alberta, from April 18-20, 2004, to encourage French as a second language, take part in the annual French for the Future National Summit and continue to promote civic engagement in Canadian cities.The visit will begin on Sunday afternoon, April 18, with a roundtable discussion at the EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts hosted by Calgary on Purpose, a citizen-based group that brings together civic leaders from different generations and across sectors to encourage and make change for an even more vibrant city. The group was created following the Governor General and John Ralston Saul's five-day urban visit to Calgary in March 2003, and the meeting will serve as a follow-up to their visit.On Monday, April 19 at 8:15 a.m., John Ralston Saul will meet with 30 French for the Future student ambassadors from across the country and 30 high school students from Calgary at La Cité des Rocheuses francophone community centre. At 10:15 a.m., Mr. Saul will address more than 600 French immersion students at William Aberhart High School about bilingual education, then hold a question and answer session with students. That evening at 7 p.m., John Ralston Saul will deliver the keynote address at the Metropolitan Centre during the Calgary Board of Education's 30th Anniversary Celebrations of French Immersion.On Tuesday, April 20, at 9 a.m., John Ralston Saul will deliver the keynote address to launch the 2004 French for the Future National Summit at the University of Calgary (MacEwan Hall.) At 10 a.m., following his speech, Mr. Saul will chair the 15-city-wide debate via webcast at www.french-future.org, linking more than 3,000 students from Calgary, Edmonton, St. John's, Halifax, Charlottetown, Fredericton, Montreal, Toronto, Sudbury, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Yellowknife, Kelowna, Vancouver and Whitehorse. For one hour, students will debate the place of young Canadians in the democratic process. The national webcast is part of a day-long session of round tables, presentations and debates bringing together two student ambassadors from each of the 15 cities taking part in the annual summit in Calgary. Each participant will pair up with a French immersion student from a Calgary high school. The purpose is to encourage non-francophone and francophone students to continue to use French as they progress towards post-secondary institutions and eventually careers.French for the Future is a national organization founded in 1997 by John Ralston Saul, involving students in French immersion and students in French schools in francophone minority communities. A detailed itinerary follows.-30-Media information: Marilyne Guèvremont Rideau Hall Press Office (613) 998-7280 From April 17-20: cell (613) 290-4552 www.gg.caVISIT BY JOHN RALSTON SAUL TO CALGARY, ALTA. – APRIL 18-20, 2004Sunday, APRIL 182:00 p.m. Roundtable Discussion with Calgary on Purpose EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts (Founders Room, 205- 8 Avenue S.E.) (Open to Media)Monday, APRIL 19 8:15 a.m. Meeting with French for the Future student ambassadors La Cité des Rocheuses francophone community centre (4800 Richard Road S.W., Calgary) (Open to media) Please contact the French for the Future coordinator for Calgary, Lise May, at (403) 949-3816 for more information about the meeting.10:15 a.m. Speech to French immersion students on the importance of bilingual education, followed by question and answer session William Aberhart High School (main gymnasium) 3009 Morley Trail N.W., Calgary(Open to media) Please contact Graham White at the Calgary Board of Education at (403) 294-8304 for more information about the event.7:00 p.m. Keynote Address to the Calgary Board of Education's 30th Anniversary Celebrations of French Immersion Metropolitan Centre, Ball Room (Open to media) Please contact Jacqueline Lessard at the Calgary Board of Education at (403) 294-8618 for more information about the event.Tuesday, APRIL 20 All day French for the Future National Summit (University of Calgary, MacEwan Hall) (Open to media) Please contact the French for the Future coordinator for Calgary, Lise May, at (403) 949-3816 for more information about the day's events.9:00 a.m. Opening address by John Ralston Saul (Open to media)10:00 a.m. John Ralston Saul chairs a one-hour national webcast linking more than 3,000 high school students from 15 Canadian cities. (Open to media)
