Dave Sullivan
Northern News Services

Hay River (Mar 04/02) - Gerry Goodreau was raised in the francophone community of Beaumont, Alta. He realized only after moving from there he didn't know his own language that well.

Gerry Goodreau helps strengthen French in the North. - Dave Sullivan/NNSL photo

Being close to Edmonton, French in Beaumont was watered down.

"It was the toughest year of my life," he says of joining the Francophone campus at University of Alberta.

After teaching five years back in his home town, Goodreau took his wife and four pre-schoolers north to Hay River. That was in 1971.

Today, Goodreau is one of 13 Canadian reps across the country who are watchdogs for the French language for the Senior Francophones of Canada.

But back in the '70s Goodreau soon found he had lost his French in Hay River, even though it was one of the subjects he taught.

That led to involvement in a group which last year formed the North's first francophone school board.

Goodreau believes those who would like Slavey to have a stronger presence in the region can learn from how French is being preserved, although he acknowledges his language benefits from being spoken around the world.

"I see a tie-in between the high suicide rate of young aboriginals and loss of identity," he said. He uses his own experience as an example of the importance of heritage.

Goodreau retired as a guidance counsellor in 1996, and went into the building business. Today, Taiga Building Supplies is for sale.

The 59-year-old wants to retire for the second time.