Fiercely francophone

Advocate celebrated the French connection in Manitoba

By: Janine LeGal

A pillar in the local French community, Lucien Loiselle wanted francophone culture to be shared as widely as possible.

“I remember him telling us to be proud of being francophones and of our culture, to never let anyone speak negatively of francophones or make fun of the French language,” said his middle son, Richard, who shares his father’s passion for French language and culture and served for 20 years as the French language services co-ordinator for Manitoba Health.

“He helped us appreciate and keep francophone music, movies, books and comic books in our lives,” eldest son Michel added. “I have an MP3 player full of French music, and shelves loaded with French-language comic books.

“I passed that love on to my five kids, one of whom works in French media and another who intends to become a teacher in the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine.”

Loiselle died on March 14 at age 85.

Born in Morris, he lived a year in Letellier until his family moved to Transcona, and eventually made his forever home in St. Boniface in 1949. It was there that he met the love of his life, aptly named Lucienne. Less than five months later, in 1963, the young couple married at the St. Boniface Cathedral. Together they had three sons: Michel, Richard and Robert, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Michel remembers hearing about the news-making stories around the time his parents were getting together to begin their life adventure.

“My mom had a faulty heart valve. The life expectancy was not very high at that time. Just after my father and mother met and fell in love, she had a heart operation at the Mayo Clinic in the U.S.,” he recalled.

Because the province wouldn’t cover the expense of the life-saving operation, the community at large rallied around her and protested, which resulted in the province reversing its decision.

“She got the operation and survived, came back and married my father. Without that operation, we wouldn’t have come into existence,” Michel said.

The couple not only had a family together but generously contributed their time, energy and skills to countless community endeavours.

Loiselle played a key role in the creation of the Centre Culturel de Saint-Boniface, later known as le Centre culturel franco-manitobain, serving as president for a time in the ’80s. Part of the founding committee of Folklorama, he was also founder and co-ordinator of the French Canadian pavilion.

Co-founder of Folklore Canada International — where he maintained the role of president for 20 years — he was CEO of l’Ensemble folklorique de la Rivière-Rouge, official voyageur for the Festival du Voyageur, founding member of l’Ordre des voyageurs officiels, and president of l’Association des scouts du Manitoba.

His list of community involvements and accomplishments includes engagements in local, national and international organizations. If it improved the community, he was part of it.

As a teacher, Loiselle’s career spans time at Précieux-Sang School, Louis Riel College and Saint-Boniface High School, inspiring countless students. He also served as assistant principal at Collège Secondaire de St. Boniface, before it became Collège Louis-Riel, for almost 10 years. In 1982, his career trajectory took him to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, where he worked until his retirement in 1999.

Widely respected in the francophone community of Manitoba for his community and political work, Loiselle was chair of or a participant in multiple committees and organizations that founded core Franco-Manitoban institutions and promoted French-speaking Manitoba at every level.

With his wife — they were known as a power couple in the francophone community — he received the Louis Riel Award in 1997, for their 40 years-plus of community activism and dedication.

For youngest son Robert, MLA for St. Boniface since 2023, there were two things his father did exceptionally well.

“He loved our mother Lucienne deeply. His love for our mother was a powerful example for the three of us. And he took us outside in the great outdoors. Taking us camping, canoeing and to our beloved cottage has had positive generational impacts on our own families and our kids.”

In retirement, the pair travelled extensively across the country in their motor home, often taking their grandchildren with them. A few winters were spent in Arizona. Loiselle volunteered at the Centre du Patrimoine to organize his personal archives and those of his loved ones.

“We knew as a family that he was always a busy man,” Michel said.

“There were important meetings related to community and grassroots work. Sometimes we would have wished he was home a bit more, but we had the summers off to catch up on family trips,” he said, remembering rides in the old station wagon, eating every kind of fresh fruit from the stands along the way.

Loiselle had been actively involved in the Scout movement as a young man, spending as much time as he could in nature. His children inherited that same appreciation for the outdoors.

“Our father brought love of nature, connecting with the boreal forest in northern Manitoba. There was lots of fishing, exploring, building forts, going on hikes. We had a 16-foot canoe — it was like an expedition, paddling all together,” Michel said.

“There was the family cottage, an old log cabin in Beresford Lake. Mom and Dad received it as wedding gift from Grandfather,” he continued, noting that the site in Nopiming Provincial Park was one of multiple gold mines, which as children they’d happily explore.

“There were specks of gold — it was romantic, finding gold, being gold diggers and whatnot.”

Growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, Michel remembers a time when linguistic rights made the news regularly.

“The youth pushed for change. They wanted to create and build solid roots where they were living, having their own schools, creating strong roots in the community. It was a time of movement and enthusiasm and a dynamic time, focusing on bricks and mortar, building a school system, all part of that.

“Dad was ambitious. He had a vision and latched on to so many projects — his love of sharing the culture, making it accessible. The French Canadian pavilion, we were very much involved in that as a family … Both of them together were a good team: Mom’s determination and Dad’s vision.”

Loiselle’s life of service created a legacy many will continue to benefit from for years to come.

“He was kind of proud,” Michel said. “He was also involved internationally, with Interculture Canada, part of an international movement to promote the culture of every country. He would be the voice of French Canada. There was the Danseurs de la Riviere Rouge, dance festivals in Europe, he was kind of happy they were still around — the French Canadian Folklorama pavilion.

“He was proud of that and his family members,” he said, all of whom are at the forefront of promoting francophone culture. “He led a good life.”

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca