

Announcements





Basket of Good Cheer Update
Happy New Year! We would like to thank everyone for their support towards our Basket of Good Cheer fundraising initiative.
The draw took place on December 30th. We are pleased to announce that Elisabeth H. was the lucky winner!

RAWQ Coffee Chats are back!


RAWQ Talk Series- Episode 3 now on YouTube
The Regional Association of West Quebecers just launched the second episode of the RAWQ Talk series. This series is made by the community, for the community. Follow along with us!
Episode 3: Lemali Pathirana, Certified Health Coach
We want to hear from you, the community! If you have a topic that you would like to see featured in this series, please write to us at aco@westquebecers.ca

Registration is now open for our Virtual French-Second Language Classes
Register Here

YES Employment + Entrepreneurship Workshops- December 2020
For more information, visit: www.yesmontreal.ca or call 1-888-614-9788
Link to access their Program Book, click here

Registration for Winter 2021 FSL Classes


Connecting Roots in the Pontiac and Beyond
On Friday, November 27th at 1:00pm enjoy the virtual session ‘Connecting Roots in the Pontiac and Beyond’. Be enlightened by the dedicated group of volunteers at the Pontiac Archives.
This workshop is part of Y4Y Quebec’s ‘You Are Here’ project, organized by the Outaouais Youth Cultural Ambassador, Holly Campbell.

RAWQ Youth Needs Assessment
Calling all youth! We have created a new needs assessment for youth and we need your input. With the information received, we will generate a report on the needs of the youth in our region. We are hoping to gain a better sense of how to reach you amid the pandemic. Please share this with local youth in your network.

FSL Update: Winter 2021 Session
French Second Language Classes will be returning for a Winter session in January 2021! RAWQ will hold a 10-week session from January 11th to March 18th, 2021. Classes will be held virtually due to COVID-19 precautions and will take place in the evening at either 6:30 pm-7:30 pm or 7:30 pm-8:30 pm. Instruction is offered at the beginner, high beginner, intermediate and conversation-focused levels. Open registration will be from December 7th through to December 15th. Current students eligible for pre-registration or those on the waitlist will be contacted directly by the FSL coordinator.
For more information, contact: fsl@westquebecers.ca

RAWQ's Basket of Good Cheer Fundraiser


RAWQ's Christmas Card Fundraiser


YES Employment + Entrepreneurship Workshops- November 2020
For more information, visit: www.yesmontreal.ca or call 1-888-614-9788
Link to access their Program Book, click here


YES Montreal Workshops- October 2020
For more information, visit: www.yesmontreal.ca or call 1-888-614-9788
Link to access their Program Book, click here

Spoken word—Spoken Ancestries with Dona Nham


Support Jeanne- Prix Femme d'Influence!

RAWQ Talk Series- Episode 2 now on Youtube
The Regional Association of West Quebecers just launched the second episode of the RAWQ Talk series. This series is made by the community, for the community. Follow along with us!
Episode 2: Western Quebec Literacy Council
We want to hear from you, the community! If you have a topic that you would like to see featured in this series, please write to us at aco@westquebecers.ca

RAWQ Photo Contest
The Regional Association of West Quebecers invites you to send your photos of scenic Outaouais to oec@westquebecers.ca. RAWQ is pursuing a project of assembling greetings cards which will be for sale to support the Association’s projects. Please send your submissions no later than October 14th. We are particularly interested in winter scenes, which may be more appropriate for the holiday season.

Join the conversation at our weekly Coffee Chats


Court Ruling on Bill 40
Read the statement issued by the Quebec English School Boards Association: click here
To access the English translation of the judgment: click here

RAWQ Talk Series on Youtube
The Regional Association of West Quebecers just launched the first episode of the RAWQ Talk series. This series is made by the community, for the community. Follow along with us!
Episode 1: Youth for Youth Quebec's Flag Project
We want to hear from you, the community! If you have a topic that you would like to see featured in this series, please write to us at aco@westquebecers.ca


Registration is now closed for our French Second Language Classes
We are not currently registering students for our Virtual French Second Language Classes. You can register as a member of the Regional Association of West Quebecers to keep up to date on when the next registration period will open.
Membership is free, by clicking on the button below.


YES Montreal Workshops- September 2020
For more information, visit: www.yesmontreal.ca or call 1-888-614-9788

Cycling in the Outaouais
Click here for more information about cycling paths in the region!


Outaouais Adventures
Need another COVID-friendly activity??
Explore the beautiful outdoors! You can find all sorts of nature trails across the Outaouais!
Click here for more information!


Aylmer Office Closed on Friday, August 21st

Visit a local museum!
Looking for something to do in the region? Visit a local museum! Click here for the listing.

Back-to-school Plan

Shop Local!
Click here for a listing of Farmers Markets throughout the Outaouais region.

Pontiac Scholarship Fund

Virtual Bishop's Forum


YES Montreal Workshops- August 2020
For more information, visit: www.yesmontreal.ca or call 1-888-614-9788

RAWQ Reopening Message
Dear Members and Constituents,
The past few months has been a tumultuous time for all, including the Regional Association of West Quebecers. The majority of our activities requiring some degree of personal interaction, the Association decided to suspend operations and lay off all staff on April 1st.
We are relieved and proud to announce the recommencement of operations effective July 27th. Rest assured, significant health and safety precautions will be undertaken to ensure control of the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in congruence with public health and safety measures. Among others, the Association offices will be reconfigured to maximize social distancing and our celebrated French Second Language courses will be run online.
Please stay tuned for more announcements. We look forward to serving you once again in the very near future.
Arthur Ayers,
President, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Regional Association of West Quebecers

RAWQ's COVID-19 Resource Page
Our team at the RAWQ would like to share as many relevant resources as possible with the community. If you have any ideas of activities that families can do from home, home remedies that you might like to share, information about businesses that are still operating, etc. we would love to add to what we currently have to offer. Please share any updates with Hayley at aco@westquebecers.ca

Quiz Night 2020
The Quiz Night event that was to take place on Friday, March 20th has been postponed. If you purchased tickets in advance, we will honour them at a later date.
Thank you!


CANCELLED: One-on-One Business Coaching with YES Montreal
--POSTPONED--
The business coach will be reaching out to her clients to let them know the next appointment will be done online/over the phone.
Thank you for understanding!

Recognition of Quiz Night 2020 Sponsors

Regional Championship
Cheer on the Heritage Hurricanes Men's Basketball team from March 20-22 at the Regional Championship!

Spring Session of French Second Language Courses
Back by popular demand, RAWQ will be organizing FSL classes for the Spring. The classes will take place in Aylmer and Wakefield from April 14th to June 16th, a total of 10 weeks for a cost of $110. Classes are currently being offered at the Beginner, Advanced Beginner and Intermediate levels. If you are interested in participating in the Spring session, please contact Jeanne at fsl@westquebecers.ca or at 819-682-9602.
*Please note that classes in Shawville will return in Fall 2020.*

Public Meeting of the CISSS de l'Outaouais Board of Directors
Members of the community are invited to attend the public meeting of the CISSS de l'Outaouais Board of Directors, on Thursday, March 5, 2020.

Y4Y Quebec Symbolism Project
Our friends at Y4Y Quebec need your help!
The Y4Y Quebec Symbolism Project was inspired by the flags of the Canadian Francophonie to create the first official flag to represent the English-speaking community of Quebec! We are looking for you to get involved in the project by telling us the symbols that represent you and the English-speaking community of Quebec. Have your say today!

Resumption of French second-language courses in the Outaouais!


French Conversation Classes in Aylmer
RAWQ hosts a conversation club, in partnership with Residence L’Initial, on Monday nights in Aylmer.
The club focuses on improving listening comprehension and oral communication in French. We invite guest speakers from around the region to speak about topics of interest or conduct a group conversation. We have hosted such figures as Rick Henderson, Micheline Lemeiux, MNA Andre Fortin, Gatineau Councilwoman Audrey Bureau and others. This club has a $65 fee and will run from January 20th to around May 25th. If you are interested in participating or require more information, please contact Jeanne Nivischiuk at fsl@westquebecers or by calling 819-682-9602.

Suspension of French Second-language Courses
Dear Students of the RAWQ FSL Courses,
It is with great regret that I inform you that the Regional Association of West Quebecers is postponing the next session of our French second-language courses, which was to take place this winter. Due to unforeseen budgetary constraints, we are unable to hold the session.
We will resume the courses as soon as possible; however we do not anticipate that that will be before the autumn of 2020. Student information will be kept, including the information of those who had registered for the cancelled session. We will ensure that they have priority when the courses resume. Should there be any further change in the status of the Program, the Association will notify you all.
Thank you for your participation thus far, and for your patience and understanding going forward. We look forward to seeing you in the fall of 2020.
Sincerely,
Linton Garner
Executive Director
Regional Association of West Quebecers

Registration is now closed for our French Second Language Classes
We are not currently registering students for our French Second Language Classes. You can join the waitlist by registering as a member of the Regional Association of West Quebecers (for FREE!) by clicking on the button below. Registration for the French Conversation Club is ongoing and open to the general public, if you are looking to participate in a French activity immediately. For more information you can contact the program coordinator at fsl@westquebecers.ca.

Closed for the Holidays
Our offices will be closed from December 19, 2019 to January 5, 2019
Wishing you and your family a lovely Holiday season! All the best in 2020!

Christmas Choral Concert
Join us on Friday, December 13th for our second annual Christmas Choral Concert!

Registration for FREE French Classes begins December 9th!

Annual General Meeting
This is an invitation to the Regional Association of West Quebecers' 2019 Annual General Meeting.

Thank you for your interest in our Free French Classes.
Due to an overwhelming response, registration is now closed.