On the eve of the May 2 election, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) du Canada, representing 2.5 million French-speaking Canadians living outside Quebec, is urging citizens to go vote and will spend the remaining days until then broadcasting this message as widely as possible in both official languages.
“There are so many countries where people are struggling for democracy and for the simple right to vote,” says FCFA President Marie-France Kenny. “Out of solidarity for those people, I’m calling on all the citizens of Canada: next Monday, go out and vote.”
For the FCFA, voting is not only a fundamental right but also a civic duty. “What is at stake is the future of our country and the direction our society will take. This is a decision that belongs to all of us – women and men, seniors, youth, Francophones, Anglophones, ethnocultural communities and First Nations,” Ms. Kenny explains.
The FCFA is also encouraging all citizens to request service in the official language of their choice at the voting office. All voting offices must offer services in both official languages to voters and according to Election Canada, more than 90 percent of these offices have the ability to do so. When it’s not the case, the service can be offered by telephone. “One way or the other, the service must be offered in both official languages and there’s no reason not to demand it,” Ms. Kenny points out.
The FCFA has made available a wide variety of information for citizens on the five main parties’ positions on the issues of official languages and support for French-speaking minority communities. This information can be found on the Fédération’s website at www.fcfa.ca in the Élections 2011 section.
The FCFA is a national organization that includes Francophone representative associations of nine provinces and the three territories, as well as ten national organizations. Its role is to defend and promote the rights and interests of the French-Speaking population outside Quebec.
Serge Quinty, Communications Director
FCFA du Canada
Tel. : (613) 241-7600
Cell. : (613) 286-4820