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Surprised to be president

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, February 28, 2011

HAY RIVER - Justin Carey arrived in Hay River last August and within just a couple of months was president of the francophone association in the community.

NNSL photo/graphic

Justin Carey, president of the Association Franco-Culturelle de Hay River, enjoys the tranquility of the NWT. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Carey was acclaimed to the position with the Association Franco-Culturelle de Hay River in October.

The 26-year-old from Quebec said he was surprised to be named the head of the association so soon after arriving in town.

"I didn't plan to be the president, actually," he said, explaining he wanted to help with administration or assist the president, or maybe become vice-president.

Carey became involved in the association as soon as he arrived in Hay River.

"I think it's important to keep our language and our culture, and I also like to take part in social activities and take part in the society," he said.

Carey said one of his goals as association president is to create a sense of camaraderie between French speakers and the rest of Hay River and to have the francophone community take part fully in Hay River activities.

"Communication is a big part with members and the community at large," he said.

Carey is also working on his communication in English, noting he is taking courses to learn more.

"I worked really hard last year in Quebec to practise my English," he said, adding he took courses, and listened to radio, watched television and read books in English.

As president of the Hay River francophone association, he will lead the organization into its 25th anniversary year in 2012.

"We will try to do something big," he said.

Carey has been pleasantly surprised to find so many French-speaking people all around Canada.

In Hay River, about 100 adults speak the language.

Carey is living in Hay River to discover life in the North.

"I wanted to live an experience in the North with my girlfriend," he said, explaining she got a job at Ecole Boreale.

"So I followed her and I've been transferred from the Quebec office to the northern office in my job (as a biotechnical engineer)."

His work allows him the time to serve as volunteer president of the francophone association.

"For part of the year, I have the time, for sure," he said.

The Quebec City-based consulting company he works for has contracts all around the NWT and much of that work is usually done in the spring, summer and fall.

"The job is about environmental assessment studies and remediation of sites," Carey said, noting it often involves hydrocarbons and pollutants.

Last year, the work took him to Fort Liard, Deline, Yellowknife and Norman Wells, plus a few communities in northern Alberta.

Carey said one of the reasons he came North is he enjoys living and working in small communities where people are closer and everybody knows everyone else.

"Some people like the south and some people prefer the North," he noted. "I prefer little communities more than big cities. So for me even Yellowknife is too big."

His hometown is Carignan, a community of roughly 2,500 about 30 km south of Montreal.

Along with being comfortable in small communities, Carey said he likes the "northern tranquility" of the NWT and he also enjoys winter.

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