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Yukon francophones celebrate 30 years on the air

A French-language radio program called 'Recontres' is marking three decades in Yukon.

Volunteer-run program 'Rencontres' recorded weekly at CBC office in Whitehorse

CBC News ·
A lively call-in show broadcast on Saturday March 14 marked an important anniversary for Yukon Francophones. A weekly cultural radio show is marking 30 years on the air. (Philippe Morin)

Yukon's francophone community is celebrating 30 years on the air.

This weekend marks the third decade for the radio show, "Rencontres."

The show — whose name translates to 'meetings,' or 'gatherings' — was started as a way to connect with the Francophone community.

It's now completely run by volunteers. Once a week they gather at the offices of CBC Yukon to record their show which airs Saturdays on the FM airwaves of CBC North.

The arrangement is unique within CBC and Radio-Canada.  

Rencontres' listeners call from throughout Yukon. About 13% of Yukoners speak French which makes the territory one of the highest per-capita pockets of Canadian Francophonie outside Quebec.
Program host Angelique Bernard remembers some translation difficulties in the early days.

"Before 1998 the show was done with French volunteer hosts but English technicians," she said, adding that technical staff would have no sense of a host's intentions such as introducing a song.

Bernard says more than 200 volunteers have helped on the show over its 30 years. 

To mark the anniversary a special two-part program began this weekend on CBC North Radio One. The second part airs Saturday March 21 at 5 p.m. PDT.

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