Sherbrooke vies to host 2021 Francophone Games

A delegation from Quebec has travelled to Ivory Coast to make their case for hosting the 2021 Francophone Games in Sherbrooke.

BernardSvigny, themayor of Sherbrooke, is part of the delegation that will present abid tomorrow inAbidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast where the 2017 games will be held nextsummer.

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The mayor said the budget for the games would be $50 million, but the economic benefit would be double that for Sherbrooke and the province. The money for the games would come from all three levels of government, as well as sponsors.

The games would host about 3,000 athletes and about 2,000 other delegates. Sevigny saidvisitor numbers could reach 100,000. Sherbrooke hosted the Canada Summer Games in 2013.

Aside from the financial boost,Svignywants his city to play a role in the francophonie.

"We have to play a role in Canada, in North America, the world. And that's why we want to be the central attention of the francophonie all around the world."

Charestpart of delegation

Former Liberal premierJean Charest, who was born inSherbrooke,is part of the delegation headed to Africa.

"People in the francophonecountries see JeanCharestlikethe father of the jeux francophones," Sevigny said.

He recalled the Quebec summit in 1987, when Charest was a young Conservative federal minister in Ottawa who becomeinvolved in creating the games after conversations with then-French president Franois Mitterrand.

"JeanCharestdefinedthe concept, he created the event, that's why in those countrieseverybody knows JeanCharest," Svigny said.

"I don't want to talk about advantage, but it's really the key of our presentation."

Sherbrooke has competition from another proud Francophone communityMoncton-Dieppe. ANew Brunsickdelegationis also making a pitch to host the games and will host the Canadian Francophone Games in 2017.

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The other members of the Quebecdelegation include Luc Fortin, provincial minister of Culture and Communicationsand Christine Saint-Pierre, provincial minister of International Relations and La Francophonie.

Svigny said they will have to wait until November to find out which community will be chosen.