When a Minority feels threatened: the Impetus for French Catholic Organization in Saskatchewan

The issues that have most threatened the cultural survival of French-speaking minorities have been related to education. The dilemmas associated with minority status in Saskatchewan were most keenly perceived by the French-Canadian clergy who felt that assimilation would entail the loss of the Catholic faith. Thus, the clergy took the initiative of uniting and organizing the French-speaking population to defend and enhance their linguistic and educational privileges. The clergy was also instrumental in establishing 'Le Patriote de l'Ouest' to provide a means of communication to the dispersed French elements and, through its pages, promoted the concept of union and organization as a means of ensuring 'la survivance.' The outcome of these efforts led to the Duck Lake convention of 1912 and the subsequent creation of l'Association Catholique Franco-Canadienne de la Saskatchewan.