1967
The provincial government, under the Conservative Party leadership of Duff Roblin, adopts Bill 59. Up to 50% of classroom instruction may now be taught in the French language. However, this is inadequate to counteract the pressures of assimilation on francophone youth.
1968
A conference is held on June 7 to establish an association to replace the existing Association d'éducation des Canadiens français du Manitoba (AECFM) and get involved in areas beyond education. The Société franco-manitobaine (SFM) is founded on December 8, with Gérard Pelletier, in attendance, to work on behalf of Franco-Manitobans in the broader political sphere.
1968
Francophone teachers unite under the Société des enseignants de langue française (SELF), a branch of the Manitoba Teachers' Society. They are known today as the Éducatrices et éducateurs francophones du Manitoba.
1969
Edward Schreyer's New Democratic Party wins the June provincial election. His cabinet reflects a variety of minority groups: Ukrainian, German, Jewish, French.
1969
Liberal Laurent Desjardins crosses the floor of the Manitoba Legislature to give Edward Schreyer a majority.
1969
On July 9, Parliament under the leadership of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, enacts the Official Languages Act. Manitoba lawmakers are now encouraged to nurture and promote the French language.
1969
In a letter dated September 3, Laurent Desjardins, who had recently been placed in charge of Federal-provincial relations, asks the rector of St. Boniface College to set up a task force to study the possibility of establishing a teachers' college.
1969
Jesuit Father Stéphane Valiquette takes over as rector of St. Boniface College on September 14.
1969
Father Valiquette replies to Laurent Desjardins by letter dated September 25, indicating that an ad hoc committee is being created to consider his proposal.
1969
On October 21, Father Valiquette sends Laurent Desjardins a preliminary report of the ad hoc committee, entitled "A normal school within St. Boniface College, with French as the language of instruction".
1969
On November 7, Gérard Pelletier issues a statement on the federal government's policy concerning the recommendations of the Royal Commission on bilingualism and biculturalism, Volume II.
1969
The December 6 SFM conference welcomes Premier Edward Schreyer's announcement that St. Boniface will have a teachers' college as early as 1970.
1970
Bill 113 is passed by Edward Schreyer's government, legalizing 100% French-language classroom from Kindergarten to Grade Three.
1970
Despite the enormous activity witnessed in the second half of the sixties, a lot of ground needed to be covered to bring the teachers' college into being. Thanks to people at the Office of the Secretary of State, to Father Valiquette, the SFM, the ad hoc committee and Father Clément Cormier of the University of Moncton who worked on the Royal Commission, much of the preliminary work had been accomplished. However the year ends inconclusively as the actual site of the college is not yet agreed upon. Father Valiquette is called back to Quebec and Roger Saint-Denis takes over as rector.
1971
Early in the year, Gérard Pelletier had announced a commission to arbitrate the location of the new institution and to submit its report by April, but the Raynauld Commission is not formed until July. The Commission's report on August 13 clearly recommends that the teachers' college be located in St. Boniface. Nonetheless, Manitoba will have to wait until January 1972 to receive federal funding for the project.
1972
Laurent Desjardins officially announces the creation of the Institut pédagogique. There is still a lot of work to be done: Recruting a dean and teaching staff, and developing a curriculum. The school, led by Origène Fillion, opens in September with 63 students. Plans for a new building are under way.
1973
During this year, events move quickly, with official affiliation with the University of Manitoba Faculty of Education in January, on-going construction, a new Bachelor of Education programme and the Tremblay Report on the French school situation in Manitoba.
1974
The newly constructed Institut pédagogique is officially opened on October 24, with Edward Schreyer and Gérard Pelletier in attendance. The same year sees the birth of the Bureau de l'éducation française (BEF), which was created to assist people teaching in French. Father Georges Damphousse succeeds Roger Saint-Denis, who died suddenly.
1975 à 1979
Roland Cloutier, becomes rector in 1975; student-teacher registrations increase and graduates have no trouble finding work in their field. A series of intensive French language skills development projects, called Bain 76-79, are conducted in Quebec for teachers working in minority-language communities. An educational resource centre is also opened. By the end of the decade, teachers are requesting post-graduate level studies in education at St. Boniface College.
1981
Roger Legal is named dean of the Institut pédagogique.
1982
Graduate programmes at the pre-masters and masters level are approved.
1983
A computer resource centre is funded.
1984 à 1996
The Institut pédagogique continues to grow. A research centre is opened in 1985 to sponsor projects relating to French-language teaching in minority-language communities. In the 1987 school calendar, the name of the institute is changed to the Faculté d'éducation. In 1989, a writing skills development centre is opened. During their training, students make greater use of microteaching techniques. Practicums, for long or short periods, provide an opportunity to learn from experienced teachers in the classroom and school. The Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface is leading the way in teacher training with the alternative practicum formula: since 1995, ten students have spent their entire school year in the classroom.
