SYDNEY, N.S. — A central figure behind Cape Breton’s francophone revival has died.
Laurent Lavoie, who spearheaded the establishment of the area’s first public French language school, passed away in late September in France.
According to longtime friend Christiane Tanner, Lavoie had been visiting his 104-year-old mother-in-law in the European country where he had once spent years furthering his education. She said his passing was sudden and quick.
The 91-year-old Tanner, who emigrated from France 48 years ago, is a close friend of the Lavoie family. She described him as a gracious and humble man who was very thoughtful. However, she said his gentle demeanor did not prevent him from fighting for what he believed in, that being the recognition, promotion and dissemination of French language and culture.
“It was not easy — he had to fight,” said Tanner of Lavoie’s dedication to making French education available to everybody.
“He worked very hard and he was convinced it was the right thing to do — he gave all of his time and heart and soul to that cause and it was a real fight but in the end he made a great contribution to the unification of Canadians.”
A get-together to remember Lavoie, a former Cape Breton University professor, will take place Friday at 7 p.m. at the Centre communautaire Étoile de l’Acadie at 15 Inglis Street in Sydney under the direction of Ronald Labelle, a longtime friend and fellow CBU faculty member.
Labelle said Lavoie was a driving force behind the crusade to recognize the importance of French culture and language and to make francophone education an option for all Cape Breton students even though it was an uphill battle from the start.
“By the 1970s, Acadians had given up on the idea of a separate French school but Laurent, who was from Sudbury, Ont., which was another place where people have always had to fight for French language rights, said no ‘don’t give up’,” recalled Labelle.
“So, he really got the group together that started the fight against the Cape Breton District School Board which at that time fought tooth and nail against the idea of establishing a French school.”
Lavoie and friends prevailed. Étoile de l’Acadie has been offering quality French education since 1991.
Lavoie was also a committed contributor to la Francophonie through his teachings, speaking engagements, writings and advocacy of French culture. In 1983, he helped establish the Moncton-based publishing house les Editions de l’Acadie and upon his arrival in Cape Breton founded the committee that was ultimately successful in its effort to make the French school a reality. Lavoie also established the Federation of Acadian Parents in Nova Scotia.
In 2011, Lavoie became a recipient of the Ordre de la Pléiade, an international honour that recognizes people who have distinguished themselves in serving the ideals of "la Francophonie".
Lavoie, who was in his mid-70s, is survived by his wife, Giselle, two adult daughters and their families.
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