Denise Beauchamp
Community Pillars
Denise Beauchamp has been an outstanding advocate whose leadership, foresight and experience have greatly improved the well-being of the Francophone community in Ottawa.
With a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Ottawa, her commitment to others began by serving young people as a teacher from the Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre Est (CECCE) for 35 years.
Prior to and following her retirement, she embarked on a number of initiatives and organizations to better the lives and opportunities for Francophones living in Ottawa and in Ontario. She represented seniors at l’Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario (AJEFO); and, from 2001 to 2007 was Chair of the Ottawa Regional Chapter of Fédération des aînés et des retraités francophones de l’Ontario (FARFO) where she promoted information, training, awareness, and volunteer engagement programs offered in collaboration with City of Ottawa stakeholders (resource centre service providers, community health services, justice, health, safety, and elder abuse). She presented workshops, conferences, and information fairs involving seniors and members from the Francophone Community and was FARFO’s 2007 Campaign Recruitment Ambassador. In honour of the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the Fédération des aînés et des retraités francophones de l’Ontario, Ms. Beauchamp contributed to a tribute book titled “La force de l’âge” and was researcher and author of the chapter related to the Ottawa region. Further, she participated in the public consultation for FARFO’s 2016-2021 strategic planning.
Denise Beauchamp’s active engagement in community service has been exemplary. During the Montfort Hospital crisis, she was a member of the safeguarding committee, and organized the travel of Francophone community members to the rally of March 1997 to protest to the looming threat of closure.
As a staunch supporter of French language rights, she spent many years advocating for the official declaration of Ottawa as a bilingual city. Her efforts began in 2009 with the prospect of a new bilingual City of Ottawa emerging from amalgamation and she continued her pursuit by regularly attending the City of Ottawa French Language Services Advisory Committee meetings. Her efforts also included participation in the Estates General of the Francophonie in Ottawa (2011-2012) and she became its Secretary in 2013. During the same period, she joined a number of groups to promote official bilingualism for Ottawa. She was a member of Association des communautés francophones d’Ottawa (ACFO); of Dialogue Canada; and, of the City of Ottawa’s Committee for Equality of Two Official Languages (2014-2016). In 2018, the City of Ottawa was declared officially bilingual.
Ms. Beauchamp dedication is extensive. She has been involved with the Fondation franco-ontarienne and has participated at the regional level in all of Ottawa’s “Soirées Saphirs” since its inception in 2015. For three years, she represented Francophone seniors in the region on the Board of Directors of the Centre des services communautaire de Vanier (an organization that provides support to Francophones living in affordable housing in collaboration with Ottawa Community Housing). She actively participated in the creation of the Coopérative multiservices francophone de l’Ouest d’Ottawa (CMFO). Further, she campaigned for the establishment of a French community radio station and volunteered at Ottawa Community Radio, 94.5, Unique FM from its inception.
Though Beechwood Cemetery is national, Ms. Beauchamp advocated for a place to recognize French Canadians and was a member of the Orientation Committee that created a monument dedicated to Mother Élisabeth Bruyère (2009). She also volunteered with nurses and workers in the Francophone health program (Ottawa Public Health) and was responsible for the promotion and registration of the FrancoForm Program at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
Ms. Beauchamp is a member of the French Language Health Services Network in Eastern Ontario and participated in the 2016-2021 consultation for strategic planning. In addition, she is a member of the Francophone committee of the Community Association of Vanier and SOS Vanier; is a member of l’Association des communautés francophones d’Ottawa (ACFO) and sits on ACFO’s Concert’ACTION; and is a Board Member of the seniors’ centre, Le Centre Séraphin-Marion, where she is Chair of the Cultural Committee and former member of its 25th Anniversary Committee.
In recognition of her dedication, Denise Beauchamp received the Bernard-Grandmaître Award in 2006, the highest honour given annually by l’Association des communautés francophones d’Ottawa (ACFO); the Médaillée de la Fidélité from la Fédération des aînés et retraités francophones de l’Ontario (FARFO) in 2008; and a certificate of recognition on March 26, 2018 from the Ottawa Council on Aging.
Ms. Beauchamp continues to be involved in improving the well-being of the Francophone Community and making it proud.
