WELCOME IN FRENCH – Taxi Discovery

COMQUAT was pleased to offer an immersion program in collaboration with the Vaudreuil-Soulanges RCM and thanks to financial support from the Quebec Federation of Municipalities. The main objectives of the program were to:

Support initiatives to promote and enhance the French language.
Encourage a collective approach that promotes the integration of immigrants into Quebec society.
Offer introductory activities to municipal and community life in their new community.
Raise awareness of the importance of French as a common language and encourage participants to develop their French language skills.

The program consisted of three parts, each comprising two workshops: a preparatory workshop and an outing to discover the region and its attractions.

The first part focused on “municipal services” with an outing offering a tour of the Vaudreuil and Soulanges region, including a meeting with the Mayor of Vaudreuil, Paul Dumoulin. They were very impressed by their meeting with the mayor, who adjusted his pace to ensure that all our learners understood him. For some of our participants, being able to have a friendly and warm discussion with the authorities was a comforting experience. Some participants, even long-time residents of the region, learned a lot at the workshop on municipal services.

The second part focused on “Quebec wildlife” with a trip to the Ecomuseum and a tour of the towns and attractions in the L’Île-Perrot region. A group of French language students from the Belles-Rives training center joined us for this part. We took the opportunity to introduce our participants to Smoke Meat Pete’s poutine during this outing.

The third part focused on “Quebec traditions and customs—sugar season” with a meal at the Sucrerie de la montagne in Rigaud, including a reception with hot chocolate, a guided tour of the sugar shack and bakery, a traditional sugar season meal, and a music workshop with wooden spoons. This activity was a great success, as this video shows.

This program reached more than 65 citizens in the region. The funds received were used to enable participants to enjoy enriching experiences in the region, which they can then recreate with their families. Preparation workshops were offered before each activity to reinforce French language skills and general competencies, including vocabulary, reading, and basic concepts related to the proposed activity. These workshops promoted better understanding, active participation, and greater confidence among participants in expressing themselves in French and helped them discover the treasures of our region, municipal and community services, and our traditions and customs.

To view photos from our outings and consult the detailed

To learn more about the literacy and French as a second language services offered by COMQUAT, please contact us at 514-453-3632 or by email at info@comquat.ca.