Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador, the sense of support is very developed

Unknown, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador are, however, not assets. Explanations with the French Caroline Fortune, which has made the land of his adoption.

to Say that Caroline Fortune, Newfoundland-and-Labrador in the skin is not a vain word. The proof of this ? The French, who lives in St. John's, Newfoundland from may 2016, is tattooed with an iceberg on the arms, paying tribute to one of the natural attractions of the most spectacular of his adopted province of (each year, between April and June, dozens of these mountains of ice, descending from the Greenland and take the "Iceberg Alley" along the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland). "I became a little Newfoundland", smiled the young woman, 28-year-old, who has been working since January as coordinator of the network on francophone immigration within francophone Federation of Newfoundland and Labrador (FFTNL).

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a Graduate of a school of commerce, Caroline dreamed of "change" and "open spaces". She has discovered the province during the edition 2015 of the forum Destination Canada. "I didn't want to go to Montreal because there are already a lot of French, tells the story of this Breton origin. I wanted to try another adventure and I was seduced by the side and atypical nature of Newfoundland and Labrador." Now on the other side of the fence" (it was the FFTNL when editing 2019 Destination Canada), Caroline Fortune is dedicated to discover this province unknown to the French interested in a new life across the Atlantic.

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what, according to you, the charm of Newfoundland and Labrador ?

Caroline Fortune : This is the kind of province with which one can easily fall in love, if only because the landscapes are very diverse : one finds boreal forests, lakes and mountains, typical of Canada, but also of landscapes that are reminiscent of Ireland or Scandinavia. If you love hiking, this is paradise ! It is also a province to a cultural identity very marked, either on the side of the kitchen or the music. This last is extremely important in the lives of people and one can attend concerts almost every night in the pubs.

The quality of life is very pleasant there : I live in the city centre of Saint-Jean, in the capital, but I can go to the beach in the end of the day and from easily camping the weekend. What's more, Newfoundland lives at a pace island and the climate there is milder than in the rest of Canada (summers at 20-25° c, winters, to -10 or -15°).

Finally, I believe that if there would be a word to describe Newfoundland and Labrador, it is "user-friendliness" ! The sense of hospitality is highly developed : to my arrival, I had nothing and colleagues that I had known for barely a week gave me some furniture to help me with the install. It also exists in Newfoundland, a small rite of integration good child who is called the "Screech-In". It is a tradition that reminds us of the history of the province - in particular the importance of the cod fishery. But I won't say more not to spoil the surprise !

What is the place of the French-speaking community occupies in the province ?

C. F. : Numerically, it is not very important : a little more than 3000 people over 525, 000 inhabitants. But its small size is that it is very dynamic and that people help each other a lot. When one arrives as a francophone, it is not lost : there are services, people, resources, and many opportunities to create a network of friends (coffee shops, meetings, concerts, sports activities, etc). There are also six French-speaking schools in the province and others are in the project.

Encourage the francophonie in Newfoundland and Labrador is the political will ?

C. F. : Yes, the provincial government has set a target of receiving 50 francophones per year through the provincial nominee Program. It is also found in Newfoundland and Labrador a "francophone community friendly", the Labrador City-Wabush, which sits not far from Quebec. This pilot project, initiated by the ministry of canadian Immigration, can be used to highlight certain territories outside of the major urban centres. The goal is to identify the needs of francophone newcomers, to enable them to access even more easily to services in French and facilitate their integration and retention.

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Professionally, what are the opportunities in this province ?

C. F. : When editing 2019 Destination Canada, 86 jobs offers have been proposed, in very varied sectors : management, aerospace industry and hydropower, mines, health, education, mechanics, customer service, etc, The population is aging in Newfoundland and Labrador and the skilled bilingual is sought. Certainly, the level of English required depends on the requirements of employers, but you can also find employment in the francophone community. However, it is important to know that the life of every day is happening in English and I think it is important to have a minimum of knowledge of that language upon his arrival.