The President of the Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (AMBM) and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Mr. Ivan Normandeau, issued the following statement in recognition of Mr. Louis Tétrault, recipient of the 2025 Prix Riel Award in the Education category, and former Executive Director of the AMBM (2006–2018):

On behalf of Manitoba’s bilingual municipal leadership, I extend my most sincere congratulations to Mr. Louis Tétrault on receiving the 2025 Prix Riel Award in the Education category.

This prestigious award recognizes a lifetime of exceptional service and unwavering commitment to the advancement of Manitoba’s Francophone community. Mr. Tétrault has been instrumental in shaping the institutional landscape that supports and sustains Francophone vitality in the province. As the founding president of the Franco-Manitoban School Division (Division scolaire franco-manitobaine, or DSFM), established in 1994, he played a pivotal role in securing language rights and transforming the future of French-language education in Manitoba.

At a time when French-language education faced significant challenges, Mr. Tétrault successfully mobilized parents, community leaders, and political stakeholders to establish a fully Francophone school system—complete with its own governance structure and a clear mandate. Under his visionary leadership, the DSFM was launched in under six months, a remarkable achievement. Today, the division serves over 6,000 students across 24 schools province-wide, empowering generations of learners to embrace their language, culture, and identity with pride.

Mr. Tétrault’s contributions extend far beyond education. He played a foundational role in the creation of several key institutions, including the AMBM, the Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba, or CDEM), and Eco-West Canada (EWC). His enduring legacy is reflected in the establishment of the AMBM Group, a nationally recognized model of Francophone municipal collaboration that continues to drive progress in bilingual service delivery, economic development, and environmental transition.

Even in retirement—or more accurately, semi-retirement—Mr. Tétrault remains actively engaged. He continues to lend his expertise to the implementation of the Municipal Maturity Model (3M) across AMBM member municipalities. His strategic insight, balanced perspective, and deep respect for community realities remain invaluable assets.

The AMBM is proud to honor one of its most influential pioneers—a visionary leader who transformed community aspirations into enduring institutions and continues to inspire all who believe in the power of collective action.

We also extend our warmest congratulations to Mrs. Carole Freynet-Gagné, recipient of the 2025 Prix Riel Award in the Community Engagement category. Her exemplary dedication and service to the Francophone community are truly commendable.

Congratulations to both distinguished recipients.

The AMBM extends its sincere gratitude to the Société de la francophonie manitobaine (SFM) for its biennial organization of the Prix Riel—an event that continues to unite and inspire our community. These celebrations serve as a meaningful opportunity to recognize and honor individuals such as Louis Tétrault and Carole Freynet-Gagné, whose passion and dedication help shape and strengthen our Francophonie. We warmly commend the SFM team for orchestrating a memorable evening yesterday, which so eloquently showcased the profound commitment of our community builders.

The AMBM is the voice of bilingual municipal leadership in the province of Manitoba. It represents 16 municipal governments committed to offering services in both official languages to their residents. Together, these municipalities represent the majority of Manitoba’s population. Manitoba’s bilingual municipal leadership also leads the AMBM Group, a consortium of three organizations with complementary mandates: the AMBM, the Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba, or CDEM) and Eco-West Canada (EWC), which specializes in the green economy. Complementing each other, these three organizations actively contribute to the development, vitality and sustainability of the province’s Official Language Minority Communities (OLMC) and the province as a whole.

Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, bcdd-oceo@ambm.ca.