Morin ‘Frenching up’ the Canada Games
As a member of the bid committee, Sue Morin has been a part of the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games from the start.
Games organizers have become familiar with her catchphrase: ‘How are you going to French it up?’
“When organizers come up with an English idea and you’re in a room full of English people, people might not think with that other hat on,” she said. “Inevitably, people now find it funny that I use it a lot.”
The native of Montreal was an obvious choice to be the chair of official languages committee for the Canada Games.
As a business development manager with Venture Niagara, designated bilingual as per federal government, she worked with the Niagara French interagency network called La Table InterAgence to create the awareness campaign called bonjour Niagara (www.bonjourniagara.com).
“I am one of those people who are trying to promote the francophone community here in Niagara because there is a ton of talent.” she said.
In the area of sports tourism, Venture Niagara’s Welland office and three other people created the Niagara Sports Commission.
“We were very much involved in developing Niagara as a sports destination for the past 15 years,” Morin said. “My two worlds have come together and I am now chair of official languages for the Games and all is good in my world.”
She also comes by her bilingualism naturally.
“My mother was English and my father was French.”
Morin’s first task is to find official language leads for each venue and she is sending out emails to the francophone community from Toronto to London.
“People will volunteer from all over the planet for Games and we have seen that at other Games.”
The leads will influence what happens at each venue in French, in areas such as signage and where the volunteers will be deployed. In total, Morin expects the Games require 600 volunteers to help with official languages.
“The 600 number looks big but for some reason I am not worried about it.”
Each venue will have different requirements. Canada Games Park will need a lot of welcoming bilingual people.
“Things shouldn’t be difficult to do things in two official languages,” Morin said. “You just need to know how and we are there to be that conduit to make it easy, seamless and friendly ”
Her excitement at being named chair of her committee was matched by the thrill of Niagara being awarded the Games three years ago. That memory came up recently on her Facebook feed.
“I still got chills when they announced that Niagara got the Games and it has been a long time coming for me,” she said. “I have been in sports tourism close to 15 years in Niagara. The toughest customer to convince is Niagara that they are the destination.”
She is looking forward to the Games and their aftermath.
“I can’t wait for the Games because that will be something I have never seen before. But the aftereffects I pray that these Games allow our leaders — elected officials and tourism folks — to understand the business of sport.
“Sport tourism has become not necessarily popular words because there is no tourism department at the region and there is no tourism focus at the region. I am hoping that the business of sport is the new language and that we can move forward past these Games and have a bid fund, have the right organization such as a commission or some sort to make this happen for the future.”
She also hoping for a legacy involving Niagara’s francophone community.
“On the other side, and it’s not last and not the least, is I would like Niagara to be not just receptive but engaged with the Francophone community whenever they are talking about anything.”
