Retired journalist becomes president of national Acadian organization

Retired MonctonjournalistLouiseImbeaulthas been elected president ofthe federation that has been the voice of Acadians for 100 years.

"I thought I owed it tol'Acadie," saidImbeault, the new president of SocitNationaledel'Acadie."If I could be of any help, to do my share."

The nonprofit federation represents the interests of Acadians on regional, national and international platforms. It brings together fourfrancophoneassociations and four youth associations from the Atlantic region and has affiliated members from Maine, Quebec, France and Louisiana.

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"I think I have the capacity to make people work together in the same direction and accomplish a number of things," Imbeault said in an interview with Information Morning Moncton.

She has been an activist, journalist, director general of Radio-Canada in the region and most recently the owner of apublishing house for children's literature.

She said she plans to draw on herexperience to focus on issues such as tension between language groups and the loss of French-language skills.

"There's still people who lose their language," she said.

She's also hoping to put more focus on New Brunswick's diminishing population, pay equity and violence against women.

"There's still a number of things to be accomplished," Imbeault said.

She said the association has done a lot for her in years past.

When she was studying at the University of Moncton in the 1960s, the organization pushed for a scholarship so she could study journalism in France.

"I had a debt and I wanted to pay this debt," she said.