Over the Past 100 Years, There Have Been …
Canadian Ambassador’s Speech
His Excellency Mr. Stéphane Dion, Canadian Ambassador to France and President of the National Foundation, offers a few words about the House and this milestone centenary celebration :
PROGRAM
The Canadian House Turns 100 : Let’s Celebrate!
Our Key Projects
A Rich and Dynamic Cultural Program to Celebrate This Exceptional Year :
January
Smaragdin
EXHIBITION
Archival documents focusing on the stay of four residents at the origin of the animated short film Smaragdin, produced at the MEC in 1959.
Opening : January 13, 7:30 pm
Closing : March 4
By Jean Letarte (director), Lucile Durant / Louky Bersianik (autor), Marcel Sabourin (actor), Bruce Mather (composer) | In collaboration with the Cinémathèque québécoise
Dialogue With Researchers
MEETING / DIALOGUE
A space for exchange, discussion, and networking, bringing together MEC residents and academic figures from the Université de Montréal across multiple fields of research.
January 19, 7:30 pm
In collaboration with Université de Montréal
Book Club
MEETING / DIALOGUE
A monthly space for exchange on themes such as memory, identity, migration, world narratives, and stories that connect individuals to larger collective histories.
January 28 to May
By Véronique Voyer (RESIDENT) |
IN collaboration WITH Gaston Miron LIBRARY
Centenary Launch Evening
SIGNATURE EVENT
Inspiring speeches, artistic performances, official unveilings, and gathering of MEC members, partners, and friends.
January 30, 7:30 pm
By the Canadian House
February
Conference : LGBTQIA+ Realities : Understanding, Dialoguing, and Living Together | Diversity & Heritage : A Century of Inclusion
MEETING / DIALOGUE
This symposium highlights the evolution of LGBTQIA+ rights, identities, and struggles over the past 100 years. Through expert talks, personal testimonies, and workshops, it explores progress made, ongoing challenges, and future perspectives for a truly inclusive society.
February 11, 7:30 pm
By Kevin Prada (PhD candidate in psychology) | In collaboration with Fondation Baxter et Alma Ricard + Fondation Emergence
Caribbean Jazz Group
CONCERT
Saxophonist, composer, and arranger, Jocelyn Ménard is a Canadian jazz musician.
February 12, 7:30 pm
By Jocelyn Ménard (Jazz musician)
March
Absolue de mémoire
EXHIBITION
The exhibition Absolue de mémoire tells the memorial journey of a woman who remembers—or believes she remembers—significant episodes of her life. This insomniac, aging woman often takes refuge in her attic, a space that shelters her from time and comforts her. Images and thoughts, photographs and texts come together to indicate the path to follow, the Ariadne’s thread not to lose.
Opening – March 4, 7:30 pm
Closing – April 30
By Christine Lahaie (artist) and Suzanne Pressé (historian and former resident)
Femmes inspirantes (4th Edition)
MEETING / DIALOGUE
This activity honors around twenty women whose journeys, commitment, and resilience help transform their communities and inspire future generations.
March 9, 7:30 pm
By Elisabeth Prégent (resident), Ana Aleman (cultural agent of the MEC) and the organizing committee | In collaboration with MINA, Arts et Métiers, Monaco, Italian and Dutch houses on the Cité
Screening : Le dernier canadien français
CINEMA
The question of Francophone identity in Canada is at the heart of a compelling new documentary titled Le dernier Canadien français. The film, produced by David Baeta, Virginie Corneau, and Simon Madore of the production company Moi & Dave, follows actor and host Pascal Justin Boyer on a journey across the country, meeting Francophones from diverse backgrounds.
March 10, 7:30 pm
By Pascal Justin Boyer (comedian) and Isabelle Corriveau (producer)
Sugar Shack and Pop-up Restaurant
SIGNATURE EVENT
Experience a unique tradition with a menu showcasing the best of Québécois cuisine.
March 11
By Jean-Christophe Beaudin (chef and former MEC resident) | In collaboration with the Québec Delegation in Paris
Les Nuits de la poésie (5th Edition)
FESTIVAL
For one week, the public is invited to immerse themselves in a world where words come to life through performances, writing contests, poetry and slam workshops, as well as a grand poetic parade bringing together artists, residents, and lovers of the literary arts. Check out the full program!
March 16 to 22
By the organizing committee (Maxime Poignand, Nathalia Barbosa, Zuzana Navratil, Natasha, Arun, James Danger, Ana Aleman) | In collaboration with Lise Gauvin, capitaine Alexandre, Rodmey St. Eloi and many houses on the Cité
April
The Impressionists in Concert: A Discovery
CONCERT
A concert by Kyrian Friedenberg, artist-in-residence at the MEC. Featuring works by Ravel, Debussy, Chopin, and Respighi.
April 7, 7:30pm
By Kyrian Friedenberg (artist-in-residence at the MEC)
MEC on Stage – The Canadian
Cultural Centre Celebrates
the MEC’s 100th Anniversary
SIGNATURE EVENT
A musical reading that will offer a discovery of the MEC through the stories of those who have lived there. Writer Maxime Poignand, author of Les présents d’hier, will present a polyphonic reading of 100 stories about the MEC, accompanied musically by four residents.
April 9, 7:00 pm
by the Maison des étudiants canadiens (Maxime Poignand, Lexie Krakowski – cellist, Christophe Groulx – guitarist, Jon Gill – flutist, Angelo Couto – guitarist) | in collaboration with the Canadian Cultural Centre and the Embassy of Canada in France
MEC on Stage – Cercle France-
Amériques Celebrates the
MEC’s 100th Anniversary
SIGNATURE EVENT
A musical reading that will offer a discovery of the MEC through the stories of those who have lived there. Writer Maxime Poignand, author of Les présents d’hier, will present a polyphonic reading of 100 stories about the MEC, accompanied musically by four residents.
April 13, 7:00 pm
by the Maison des étudiants canadiens (Maxime Poignand, Lexie Krakowski – cellist, Christophe Groulx – guitarist, Jon Gill – flutist, Angelo Couto – guitarist) | in collaboration with Cercle France-Amériques
Stone and Memory
EXHIBITION
Through eight large-format panels, you will discover the physical transformations the MEC has undergone from 1926 to the present day. Beyond the red façades, cultural events, residents, and visitors, an innovative architecture unfolds beyond the walls.
Opening – April 16, 7:30 pm
Closing – September
By the Canadian House (Alexis Carrier, Jade Roux, Bryan Tan)
Resisting Through Art : Indigenous Voices of the Americas
SIGNATURE EVENT
Conferences, exhibitions, screenings, and roundtables will showcase works, perspectives, and stories that highlight the resilience of Indigenous peoples in the face of historical, cultural, and political challenges.
April 12 to 16
By Jon Gill et Marianne Stinzi (residents) | In collaboration with the United States Foundation, the Brazilian House and the Mexican House
Gentiane MG Trio Concert
CONCERT
With Gentiane MG on piano, accompanied by double bass and drums, the trio will deliver a performance that is both intricate and deeply moving — a journey through the dazzling soundscapes of her latest album, Walls Made of Glass.
April 22, 7:30 pm
By Gentiane Michaud-Gagnon (pianist and composer) | In collaboration with Levi Dover (bassist) and Mark Nelson (drummer)
May
Residents Exhibition : Strates
EXHIBITION
Installations, photographs, performances, and digital creations explore the successive layers that have shaped a century of collective life. By creating a dialogue between past and present, Strates reveals the MEC as a place where human experiences accumulate and transform.
Opening – May 5
Closing – June 17
By Béatrice Lafaille and Marion Bour (residents)
Lacrosse Demonstration
FESTIVAL
As part of the Fête de la Cité (May 22–24), we will offer a lacrosse demonstration — Canada’s national summer sport — for all residents of the Cité.
May 23, 4pm
In collaboration with the France-Canada Association & Club Phoenix Paris Lacrosse
June
Promesses et dissolution
EXHIBITION
Working with paper as her medium, Julie will combine significant works she has already created with pieces assembled from materials repurposed at the MEC.
Opening – June 23, 7:30 pm
Closing – August 27
By Julie Picard (visual artist and sculpter)
Centennial events in
Toronto, Ottawa,
Quebec, Montreal
SIGNATURE EVENTS
Together with MEC Friends and special guests, the MEC will celebrate its centennial in four Canadian cities. The event will include the launch of the 100 Stories book and the presentation of audiovisual projects created for the occasion.
June 2 to 10
By the Canadian House
July
Upcoming Programming.
August
Upcoming Programming.
September
Ab ora maris ad moram –
100 Years of Student Encounters
EXHIBITION
Echoing Canada’s motto, this exhibition project, titled Ab ora maris ad oram or “From Sea to Sea,” aims to highlight the transatlantic historical and cultural ties between France and Canada. It showcases a collection of both old and recent works that illustrate the importance of Canada’s contribution to the intellectual, artistic, and cultural life of the Francophonie.
Opening – September 16
Closing – November 4
By Olivier Laliberté (bookseller and exhibition curator), Alexis Charrier (artist in residence), Alexis Lacasse (Researcher) | In collaboration with La Talle Bookstore (Québec)
October
Auguste Quartet Concert
FESTIVAL
The group continues its journey with a new album, Particules Sonores (also acclaimed by Couleurs Jazz as “Best Album”), an elusive and timeless project that they will present at the MEC during the 16th edition of the Jazz à la Cité festival.
October 6, 7:30 pm
By Alain Bédard (double bass), Erik Hove (saxophonist), Marie-Fatima Rudolf (pianist), Michel Lambert (drummer)
Centenary Festivities in Paris
SIGNATURE EVENTS
Receptions at the Embassy of Canada and the Québec Delegation in Paris
October 11 to 17
By the Canadian house
Symposium : A Century of
Transatlantic Francophonie
– the MEC as a
Hub of Cultural Diplomacy
SIGNATURE EVENT
This event aims to bring together professors, researchers, doctoral students, and other professionals from the fields of literature, arts, and humanities to examine the many forms that cultural and academic relations between France, Québec, and Canada have taken over the past century.
October 11 to 14
By Alexis Charrier and Alexis Lacasse | In collaboration with the University of Ottawa, University of Victoria, Sorbonne Nouvelle, Université de Sherbrooke, Université St-Paul, Bibliothèque Gaston Miron
November
Drawings by Natali Fortier
EXHIBITION
Illustrator and sculptor Natali Fortier, a former resident and recipient of the Prix Goncourt for Youth, will exhibit a selection of personal drawings during the final period of the year. The works will be chosen for their resonance with the space, in consultation with Normand Biron, who is also the exhibition curator.
Opening : November 11
To January
By Natali Fortier (Illustrator, Sculptor, and Former Resident)
CinéMEC
FESTIVAL
The CinéMEC festival offers a full week of screenings celebrating the cinematic creativity that has marked the Maison over the decades. Each evening, a different film — made at the MEC, inspired by its universe, or created by former or current residents — highlights the richness of perspectives that have crossed its spaces. Fiction, documentary, experimental, or animation: CinéMEC showcases works where collective memory, emerging creativity, and glimpses of life captured within its walls intersect. This festival offers a journey through the Maison’s audiovisual history while revealing the artistic vitality of those who continue to bring its image to life.
November 23 to 26
By the Canadian House
December
Upcoming Programming.
Centenary News
- The MEC Shines Overseas
What a joy for the MEC to be featured in a recent Toronto Star article! Journalist Allan Woods spoke with Maxime Poignand (Special Projects Officer for the centenary), France Mainville (Director of the MEC), as well as Aimé Saldia and Danielle Louzado (two of our residents pursuing a master’s at Sciences Po), to write this […] - Tracing Our History: Maxime and Bryan on a Mission in CanadaOctober 24 to November 8, 2025 People who have lived, worked, or crossed paths with the Maison des étudiants canadiens write its History through their presence, their participation, and their experiences. It is their testimonies and the memories they carry that shape the identity of our home—familial, empathetic, and creative. It was therefore essential to […]
