Morgane Roy-Séger
Morgane Roy-Séger was born in Moncton, New Brunswick. In 2017, she participated in the commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid as a youth delegate. Her trip allowed her to relive history and reconnect with the roots of her grandfather and great grandfather, who were from France. This was also an opportunity to understand the importance of commemorating historical events.
Morgane grew up in Dieppe, New Brunswick, the sister city of its namesake in France. She currently lives in Sackville, New Brunswick. Most of her father’s family still lives in France and she has dual Canadian and French citizenship. Her great grandfather, Clément Séger, was involved in the French resistance. He notably destroyed telephone lines during the Normandy landing to cut communications to the German occupiers.
After she previously participated in a discovery experience with the group Encounters with Canada, Morgane was chosen as one of four youth delegates to represent Canada during the events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid.
“I don’t think that there’s a better history course. I truly enjoyed my experience.”
Morgane enthusiastically described the fascinating conversation she had over dinner with Maurice Leblanc, a veteran of the Fusiliers Mont-Royal: “He shared his experience from the beginning, how he was recruited, up until the raid. The dinner lasted about two or three hours, but it felt like it was only 20 minutes because everything he told me was so interesting. I don’t think that there’s a better history course. I truly enjoyed my experience.”
She was also deeply moved to see how much the people of France continue to appreciate Canadians, even today. On several occasions, Morgane noted that people of different generations approached the Veterans in tears to thank them “because they, their grandparents, were there when it happened. They are still very, very grateful.”
The trip also gave her a deeper understanding of the meaning of commemorative ceremonies. Morgane emphasizes that, although ceremonies are organized for Remembrance Day every year at school and young people understand that it’s important, they don’t really know why.
“Going back to the places and seeing the freedom we have today, seeing the veterans on the sites and understanding the sacrifices they made… Because, even those who survived, they sacrificed a large part of their lives.”
She explained that it’s during her visit to Dieppe that she truly understood the importance of never forgetting the past: “Going back to the places and seeing the freedom we have today, seeing the veterans on the sites and understanding the sacrifices they made…because, even those who survived, they sacrificed a large part of their lives.”
In honour of the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Morgane Roy-Séger is featured as a Face of Freedom. You can also hear her story first hand by listening to her episode of our Faces of Freedom podcast (In French only).
For more information, please visit our page on the Dieppe Raid.
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