The Association francophone du Labrador (AFL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending the rights of Labrador's francophone communities. It is a member of the Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador (FFTNL), the official voice of the francophone community in the province.
The AFL is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in May.
The AFL depends on the participation of its members and volunteers, because without them, the AFL could not function properly and offer quality services to its members.
Serving the Labrador francophone community since 1973, the Association francophone du Labrador (AFL) aims to promote and develop the French language and encourage Canadian bilingualism.
Founded in 1973, the Association francophone du Labrador (AFL) is a non-profit organization working to promote the French language in Western Labrador. Its offices are located in Labrador City, a town 20 kilometers from the Quebec border. It is a member of the Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et Labrador (FFTNL) which works together to promote and develop the French language in the province.
In the 1970s, francophones became more numerous and began their fight against assimilation and the preservation of the French language.
Grouped within provincial organizations such as the FFTNL and other regional organizations, francophones unite their efforts to protect and enhance the French language and culture.
Western Labrador consists of the towns of Labrador City and Wabush. According to the 2001 census, there are 420 people whose mother tongue is French and 75 people who speak both official languages of Canada. Most of this population resides in Labrador City. Francophones in Western Labrador are predominantly of Quebec and Acadian origin. The Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) and Wabush Mines recruited them mainly for iron ore mining in the 1960s. Little by little, their families joined them. This is how the francophone community of Labrador was born.
The Association francophone du Labrador (AFL) was founded on December 6, 1973 in Labrador City. At that time, there were no political/social organizations to advocate for the needs of the Francophone community in Western Labrador.
In the beginning, the AFL's goal was to organize cultural activities. Although it still maintains this objective, it is now increasingly demanding services in French from all levels of government because, under the Official Languages Act, the federal government has an obligation to provide bilingual services within its departments and to contribute to the development of minority language communities.
Initially, the AFL's means of action were based primarily on volunteerism.
However, over the years, it became impossible for the AFL to thrive on the volunteerism of its Board of Directors (BoD) alone. In 1976, the AFL received its first grant, which changed its evolution. It created a secretary's position and hired a full-time facilitator. The AFL was able to expand its membership and increase its activities while maintaining the goals it had set for itself.
The AFL's actions depend largely on the commitment of volunteers, the participation of members and, of course, an adequate permanent staff to strengthen the organizational and operational structure of the Francophone center. The AFL depends on these three factors to achieve its five-year programming.
308, Hudson Drive
Labrador City (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador)
A2V 1L5
