CRCCF launches new season focusing on Franco-Ontarian history

The Centre de recherche sur les francophonies canadiennes (CRCCF) at the University of Ottawa has launched its 2026-2027 season. The kickoff featured a roundtable discussion regarding the book ‘Histoire de la jeunesse franco-ontarienne engagée, 1905-1970’ by historian and CRCCF director Michel Bock.

In conjunction with the 200th anniversary of the legal foundation of Bytown (the precursor to Ottawa), Bock highlighted the significant role of the French-Canadian population in the region's development. He noted that while official histories often focus on British figures like Colonel John By, the demographic and social foundations of French Ontario were largely shaped by French-Canadian workers in the timber industry during the early 19th century.