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Fransaskois are French speaking Canadians living in the Prairie province of Saskatchewan.
Population
Representing about 2 percent of the inhabitants of the province, and like the province itself natural increase and net emigration nearly balance one another out. Fransaskois and Fransaskoises are chiefly found in large cities such as Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw. However, they form a plurality or majority in small towns like Gravelbourg, Albertville, Duck Lake and Bellegarde.
Rights
Although the province was part of the theoretically bilingual Northwest Territories before it was created in 1905, there is no Constitutional protection per se for the language rights of Fransaskois. In particular, there are few French language educational institutions in the province.
Culture
Despite their numbers, Fransaskois celebrate their vibrant culture regularly. Folk arts, visual arts, fine arts and performance arts all feature prominently in their festivals. The most famous Fransaskoise was Jeanne Sauvé, born in Prud'homme. She was a Liberal MP, Cabinet minister, Speaker of the House of Commons and ultimately Governor General of Canada.
In the arts, notable Fransaskois include the folk band Hart-Rouge and children's entertainer Carmen Campagne.
External Links
Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise (http://www.fransaskois.sk.ca/)
Conseil Culturel Fransaskois (http://www.culturel.sk.ca/)
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