With a permanent team reduced to two people, “the situation remains precarious”.
IJL – Réseau.Press – L’Aquilon
The AFCY Board of Directors. From left to right: Frédéric-François Desmarais, Michel Legault, Anna Krizova, Marjolaine Chevet, Simon Cloutier, Geneviève Charron, Maxime Joly (general director), and Sylvie Savoie. Missing from the photo: Laurence Bonin. (Photo Cristiano Pereira)
The Franco-Cultural Association of Yellowknife (AFCY) held its 39th Annual General Meeting on December 12 at the Explorer Hotel. During the session, the French-speaking organization presented its annual report as well as its financial statements. Around 25 people attended the event.
“This year has highlighted both our resilience and our fragility,” underlined Maxime Joly, general director of the AFCY, recalling that the year 2023-2024 was marked by forest fires, evacuation of Yellowknife and a difficult context for the organization, which nevertheless managed to maintain dynamic programming.
With only two full-time employees, the AFCY structure shows its limits. “The addition of the youth mandate and theatrical activities imposes responsibilities on us that exceed our capacities,” said Mr. Joly, adding that the involvement of volunteers remains essential, although insufficient to ensure stability.
The President of the Board of Directors, Geneviève Charron, welcomed the arrival, in May, of Caroline Lessard. The new AFCY programming manager, who shines in the community with her dynamism and her outstanding interpersonal skills which, according to Ms. Charron, inspire “a lot of optimism”.
However, the president of the CA warned: “We should not take anything for granted”, stressing that with a permanent team reduced to two people, “the situation remains precarious”. Ms. Charron added:
“We hope that government institutions will recognize the importance of allocating additional resources to better support our essential mandate: promoting French-speaking culture and arts, an essential pillar of the vitality of our community.”
The Board of Directors team maintains a number of eight members, without major changes. Only Sheryl Boily left her position as treasurer, replaced by Frédéric-François Desmarais. During the General Assembly, Geneviève Charron was re-elected to her position as president, as were Michel Legault and Anna Krizova to their respective roles as directors.
Maxime Joly drew up a contrasting assessment of the 2023-2024 financial year, highlighting a phase of contraction, marked by a drop in the number of members, activities and media presence. Despite the difficulties, he said he was satisfied with the achievements of the AFCY, which organized more than 40 socio-cultural activities, workshops and shows, bringing together nearly 3,000 participants.
Among the successes, Mr. Joly mentioned support for the production of a youth play and the establishment of new partnerships carrying innovative initiatives. On a positive note, he welcomed the improvement in the financial situation: “The net balance sheet shows a positive result for the first time in ten years”, testifying according to him to the resilience and dynamism of the AFCY.
The AFCY’s annual report paints a nuanced portrait of its financial resources. Despite an apparent stability of products around $312,000, in line with the average of the last ten years, this situation is based on specific circumstances. “A significant carryover of $76,000” from the 2021-2022 fiscal year has influenced recent results, creating an illusion of linearity.
A three-year agreement with Canadian Heritage will provide short-term stability, with two full-time positions guaranteed until March 2027. However, approaches to the GNWT to increase funding have “resulted in no improvement,” despite a restructuring of the programs.
Current management has made it possible to absorb the deficits accumulated since 2014, bringing the net balance sheet to $8,437. However, this figure illustrates “the financial fragility of the organization”. While notable progress has been made thanks to rigorous management, risks remain. The anticipated drop in revenue for 2024-2025, around $385,000, highlights the importance of “diversifying funding sources”.
The organization is optimistic about the future. Structural projects, such as the youth winter camp planned for March 2025 and the Francophonie Games in July 2025, respond to a real need. “These initiatives respond to an important need for Franco-Ténois youth to come together,” said the general director.
However, the Théâtre du 62e Parallel, presented over the last two years as a major project, is on pause “to recharge its batteries and think about the future”. The arrival of Caroline Lessard as programming manager is seen as a positive turning point. “His arrival marks an important step in consolidating our capacity,” declared Mr. Joly, who also praised the work of Batiste Foisy, in office for 18 months.
In conclusion, despite a period of contraction, the AFCY relies on collaboration and strategic choices to ensure its relevance and sustainability. “It is essential to adopt a clear strategy and work together for collective well-being,” concluded Maxime Joly.
