Ethnogenesis and identity: Toronto's changing francophone community

Due to the arrival, particularly within the last two decades, of internationally diverse French-speaking immigrants to Toronto, Ontario, the pre-existing, primarily Canadian, francophone community has undergone significant change. Alterations in the ethnic make-up have resulted in the need for and development of new services, both governmental and within the private sector, and new cultural events that reflect an emergent Franco-Torontonian culture. This thesis reports on the changes within Toronto's francophone community with a view to developing further understanding of how and why culture can function and thrive within a minority situation. The role of language in developing a collective identity is central to this thesis. A central theme has been how and by whom culture is developed and maintained in Toronto and by whom discourse is defined. New arenas where French is spoken publicly are being established by a small segment of the francophone population in concert with the government agencies that provide support and funding for such enterprises. The aim of many of these initiatives is to increase lines of communication for all francophones, despite the lack of geographical community. The development of new cultural events represents movement toward the creation of (an integrative entity, akin to) an imagined community that benefits all French speakers by providing visibility and opportunity.