Daniel Lavoie is the spokeman for FCAF since 1996. It is a charity devoted to the promotion of  literacy in French in Canada. It  regroups  provincial and territorial associations. FCAF’s main aim is to develop literacy in French and to establish links between  the various groups and their members.

Daniel Lavoie has recorded a tape in aid of FCAF, Federation Canadienne pour l'Alphabetisation en Francais/Canadian Association for Literacy in the French Language, of 21 songs and traditional nursery rhymes 'Les Rondes' which can be found in the pack Montre-moi ]FCAF,1999].

He has also contributed a message to raise awareness of family literacy, broadcast on TV and radio in February 2000, as well as  the campaign 'Printemps des lettres/Springtime letters' [2000 & 2004] where people who are learning to write have written a letter to Daniel Lavoie. All the letters have been gathered together on a book. Daniel read some of them on the radio.
---> Listen here
 

Daniel Lavoie:

"I am FOR
• everyone to be able to read and write.
• everyone to have the same learning opportunities.
• everyone to be able to read the small print at the end of contracts.
• everyone to be able to write a letter to their elected representative and tell them • what they think.
• everyone to have an alternative to the TV when the time comes to make up one’s mind. Democracy can only be the stronger for it .

Our planet will have a greater chance to survive and we will all feel the better for it. 

If we are FOR something then let‘s do something ABOUT it!"

 FCAF website: http://www.franco.ca/alpha/

FCAF Journal – Introduction by Daniel Lavoie

"Reading is useful for work, for tax filling, for following instructions and road maps, for menus in restaurants, for time-tables in airports, bus and train stations. To read sub-titles in foreign films, to know where to get off on the underground, to read the news while the TV is being repaired, to read the Christmas card from our local politician, to know whether our lottery ticket is the winning one. Useful, useful, useful.  But there is more to it than being useful. To read and write is, above all, for FUN.  Think of a good novel when you’ve found your seat on a train or a plane.  Think of the sum you’re getting back from the tax office when you’ve done your tax return. The free newspaper you can read in a restaurant when you’ve ordered your meal. Love letters and letters from friends, computer games and the Internet.  Holiday brochures and the good book you’re enjoying in the comfort of your lounger, a pina colada in your hand.  To discover an interesting topic and to be able to research it as much as you want. The opportunity to be as curious as you want and knowing that, with a little bit of research you can find what you want. This journal is full of stories which will give you pleasure and awake your curiosity. You’ll discover that very often pleasure and curiosity have very useful consequences.
 With love, Daniel Lavoie."

The school named «Jours de plaine»

To support the use of French in his native English-speaking province, Daniel Lavoie is the sponsor of a French speaking nursery school in Sainte Rose du Lac (Monitoba, Canada) which opened in August 1995. The school was named « Jours de plaine» after the song he wrote for a film of the same name.

Louise Dubuc, Daniel Lavoie’s wife, has written a book for the FCAF. It is  a book of short stories named «L’estime de soi». (14  individual accounts  to understand  what illiterate people go through  - 43 pages)

Copyright © [ Daniel Lavoie: official website]