“Since my childhood, my parents instilled in me the love for our language and the determination to protect it,” Lucie Hotte reveals. “Throughout my career, I have worked to promote and recognize Canadian Francophonie. I am deeply honoured that the university deems my contribution worthy of receiving the first prize for research in Francophonie.”
Making her way through Franco-Canadian history
Even during her doctoral studies, Lucie Hotte’s innovative approach stood out in the field of research on Canada’s Francophonie. In 1996, she co-organized the first symposium on Franco-Ontarian literature, entitled “Littérature franco-ontarienne : enjeux esthétiques”, which played a crucial role in recognizing this enriching and unique literary tradition.
Her commitment to inter-regional collaboration was equally remarkable. Three years later, she co-organized a symposium titled "Canadian Francophone Literatures: Institutional Challenges," offering a perspective that encompassed the entire minority Canadian Francophonie.
She also co-hosted a gathering of experts on French literature written by authors from Acadia, Ontario and Western Canada during a joint symposium in 2007 entitled “(Se) Raconter des histoires : Histoire et histoires dans les littératures francophones du Canada”.
In 2010, she set off to explore uncharted territory, namely literary networks in Francophone communities in minority language settings, shining light on the dynamic interactions that have shaped Francophone literatures from Acadia, Ontario and Western Canada.
Breaking down barriers to knowledge
Lucie Hotte has always been exceptional in her commitment to making her research accessible to communities outside academia. She wrote Introduction à la littérature franco-ontarienne, the first book to provide an overall picture of Franco-Ontarian literature from the start of the 18th century to today.
Her dedication to facilitating access to information and encouraging collaborative research inspired her to create a digital humanities database to study French-Canadian literary networks. This platform is a valuable research tool to explore and analyze links between Francophone communities in Canada.
As director of the Centre de recherche sur les francophonies canadiennes, she has implemented an inclusive annual program that tackles contemporary issues of concern for Francophone communities in minority language settings. This initiative has helped raise awareness among the general public of the problems that such communities face and has fostered cross-cultural dialogue.
As Vice-President, Research and Innovation Sylvain Charbonneau said, “Lucie Hotte is the ideal researcher to be the first recipient of this award, not only because of her unfailing commitment to research on the Francophonie, but also because of her many academic initiatives. Her dedication is absolutely remarkable.”