A USask researcher in the College of Medicine is investigating the needs of the Francophone community in the Prairie provinces, in particular with the effects of the pandemic. Department Head of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dr. Anne Leis, explains that some of this minority population believes their community was forgotten with all of the messages in English, meaning services may have been missed or delayed.

The goal is to find ways to develop or strengthen the appropriate supports and the hope is for these supports to be developed in partnership with all levels of government and through Francophone schools, family support centres and child care centres. The research focuses on children, youth and families, Dr. Leis says, because they are the most vulnerable. It covers Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba, and Dr. Leis expects there will be both commonalities and differences among the provinces.