Skip to content

Oh! Canada : Montréal

General public

From an artistic, social and philosophical perspective, this documentary theatre project aims to probe the state of the French language in the country, not only through the identity and cultural dimensions of a language, but also through all that is political and civic behind this language. By taking the pulse of the French language in Canada and in Quebec, an eternal question emerges : is French on life support?

Oh! Canada is led by three artists-researchers-theatre makers from Théâtre Catapulte, an Ottawa-based theatre company that has been creating works in French for 30 years : Artistic Director Danielle Le Saux-Farmer, Franco-Manitoban by birth and Franco-Ontarian by culture, Nicolas Gendron, a Quebec-Guatemalan based in Montreal, and Noémie F. Savoie, a Québecoise2, since she is a citizen of Québec, the Capitale-Nationale.

After phases of research in Ottawa, at the biennial Zones Théâtrales and the National Arts Centre, in Caraquet, at the Théâtre populaire d’Acadie, and in Ste-Geneviève, at the Salle Pauline-Julien in the West Island, we will be welcomed this time in residence at the Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui, in the heart of the Plateau-Mont-Royal, during the week of May 16, 2022. And we are organizing a public forum there, in the wake of Bill 96 and the reform of Bill 101.

 

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

Events held in French with sporadic English translation, English comments or questions are welcome

 

Topic : Who will be the “children” of Bill 96?

Wednesday, May 18, 2022, 1:30 p.m.

With Bill 96 reforming Bill 101, and a nationalist – not separatist – government moving forward, is the legislative framework the best way to stop the decline (or perceived decline) of French in Quebec? Do the laws have the teeth to bring about real change in this area? And specifically, what does this Bill mean for Montreal and Québec’s anglophone, indigenous and other linguistic communities?

The panel members :

  • Sabrina Mercier-Ullhorn, translator and activist for the protection of the French language
  • Akos Verboczy, author of the book Rhapsodie québécoise – Itinéraire d’un enfant de la loi 101
  • Liam Mackenzie, professor of English literature and creative writing at Dawson College

To reserve…

 

Topic : Linguistic minorities, indigenous languages and solidarity

Thursday, May 19, 2022, at 1:30 pm

Event held in French

What are the struggles and resistances necessary for the preservation and development of a minority language (this includes the Québec province’s anglophone, indigenous and other linguistic communities)? Does the preservation of a minority language require a certain amount of solidarity on the part of majority language communities? Does the protection of a linguistic minority necessarily harm the protection of another language on the same territory?

The panel members :

  • Ruba Ghazal, Mercier MPP and French language spokesperson of the second opposition party  
  • Katherine Korakakis, president of the ECPA (English Parents’ Committee Association)
  • Roger Wylde, multidisciplinary artist of the Pikogan anicinabe community and cofounder of Minwashin

To reserve…

2021-2022 Season

Date Location
18 May 2022 Centre du Théâtre d'Aujourd'hui 3900, rue Saint-Denis, Montréal
19 May 2022

Creative Team

Nicolas Gendron, Danielle Le Saux-Farmer et Noémie F. Savoie