Cocktail conference

Thursday, December 05, 2024 / 17:30 PM to 21:00 PM

The Canadian Club of Toronto invites you to a special evening on December 5th to explore French-language education in Ontario with alumni and experts in the field. This informal, fireside chat will be an opportunity to discuss the successes, challenges, and prospects of the French-language education system , followed by a valuable networking opportunity . An enriching evening to better understand the future of French-language education in the province.

Contact us Book

APERTURE ROOM

340 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 1R8

Event Details:

Date : Thursday December 5, 2024
Time : From 17:30 p.m. to 21:00 p.m.
Location : Aperture Room, 340 Yonge St., Toronto

Evening program:

17am - 30:18pm Welcome and welcome cocktail
- Guests will have the opportunity to meet and network over cocktails.
18am - 30:19pm Fireside chat with our panelists
- The panel will consist of four former Francophone students from school boards who will share their experiences and perspectives on French-language education in Ontario.
- Influential figures in the field of French-language education in Ontario will be present to discuss the challenges, successes and issues related to this education system.
19am - 30:21pm Networking and exchanges
- Participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with key representatives from the Francophone community and education, including representatives from the University of Ottawa, the Université de l'Ontario français (UOF), La Cité, school boards, the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO), the Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC), as well as other influential partners.
- This networking time will allow participants to develop relationships and strengthen ties within the Francophone community.

Invited personalities and partners in attendance:

Guest of honor : The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, as well as representatives from French-language educational institutions and key sector associations.

Event sponsor

Ambassador sponsor

Partner sponsors

Panelists

Gabrielle Forget

PhD Candidate, CREFO, OISE

University of Toronto

Born to French-speaking Quebec parents, I have lived most of my life in Ontario. I attended French school for elementary school and was in French immersion from grades 8 to 12. At university, I completed a BA with a minor in French Studies, a MA in French Studies, and a BEd with a specialization in teaching French as a second language. After teaching for two years in French immersion at the elementary level, I returned to university as a doctoral student in language and literacy education to study French immersion in Ontario.

michael norris

Housing Cooperative Development Manager

Cooperative Housing Federation of Canada

A proud Francophile, I am a graduate of the Viamonde School Board and the University of British Columbia. A passionate community developer and cooperative strategist, I am dedicated to building sustainable and vibrant communities across Canada. With a background in finance, management, and human resources, I specialize in addressing market failures through innovative projects, from the launch of Southern Ontario's first French-language university to supporting Indigenous communities in developing community-based businesses. I am an extrovert who enjoys working with people to create real change. I am committed to community service as the secretary of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network. In my free time, I enjoy cycling, playing hockey, and hiking.

Sandra Kemzang

First-year law student

University of Ottawa

Sandra Kemzang is a law student at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law, specializing in French common law. Originally from Cameroon, she immigrated to Canada in 2009 with her family. Sandra completed her elementary and secondary education in French at schools within the MonAvenir Catholic School Board, where she served as a student trustee in 2021-2022. She now continues her leadership at the university level for the French Common Law Student Association (RÉCLEF) as a first-year law student representative. Immigration, language rights, and politics are among her areas of interest.

Sophie Filion

12th-year student and volunteer

CSC St Jean-de-Brébeuf in Welland

Sophie Filion has been involved in volunteering and community life for many years. Currently a member of the student council (2022-2025), she has participated in various events such as the poppy fundraiser with the Welland Legion, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day festival, and the Richelieu Club's Winter Carnival. In 2024, she sewed gowns for Sacred Heart Parish, helped clean the streets of Niagara, and supported several activities for cadets and the community. She has been involved since a young age, notably as a Guardian Angel and pianist for a retirement home.

Moderator

Sarah Tomlinson

Multiplatform reporter for Radio-Canada & CBC

Sarah Tomlinson was born in Toronto and is a multi-platform reporter for Radio-Canada. Before joining the team, she was an associate producer at CBC The National and a journalism student at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is interested in a wide range of topics, including cultural journalism and human rights. She completed her secondary education at Saint-Frère-André Catholic School, also earning an International Baccalaureate. When she's not covering the news, she plays gigs in bars around town with a band.

Guest of honor

The Honourable Edith Dumont

Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

The Honourable Edith Dumont is Ontario's 30th Lieutenant Governor. The first Francophone to hold this position, she was appointed following a long and distinguished career in education.

His early professional experiences led him to humanitarian work and teaching in the Dominican Republic and Rwanda. In the late 90s, a professional project allowed the family to live for a few years in Pretoria, South Africa and Paris, France.

Upon her return to Canada in 1999, she continued her career at the Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (CEPEO) for over 32 years. From special education teacher to school principal, she became the first woman to hold the highest position at the CEPEO, namely that of Director of Education and Secretary-Treasurer.

In 2020, she accepted a position at the newly established Université de l'Ontario français (UOF) in Toronto as Vice-President, Partnerships, Community and International Relations. She established UOF's first partnerships, the Knowledge and Innovation Hub, and the customized training strategy for businesses.

Ms. Dumont has always promoted diversity as an essential strength of any community, women as an indispensable contribution within decision-making teams, collaboration as the foundation of any high-performing team, and the French language as a source of pride in all activities of human life.

Ms. Dumont was named a Knight of the Order of Academic Palms by the French Republic for her contribution to the international recognition of Ontario's expertise in education. She is also a Member of the Order of Ontario. In addition, she has received the Medal of the Order of the Pleiades of Ontario, the Medal of the Order of Ottawa, and several community awards.

Ms. Dumont holds two bachelor's degrees, one in psychology from the University of Ottawa and the other in special education from the University of Quebec in Outaouais, as well as a master's degree in education from the University of Ottawa.

She lives with her partner, Tony Viscardi. The couple has three children: Éloïse, Antoine, and Gabrielle. When she has time to relax, her favorite activities are open water swimming, hiking, cross-country skiing, and skating on the world's largest natural skating rink, the Rideau Canal.

Distinctions:

Ms. Dumont has received the following distinctions:
– Member of the Order of Ontario, 2023 (OOnt)
– Knight of the Order of Academic Palms, 2018

Book