'For God's sake, speak English': Ralph Klein, chevalier

Having France's highest honour bestowed on him prompted former Alberta premier Ralph Klein to recall how he used to get mad at his cousins for speaking French.

France's ambassador to Canada was in Calgary on Wednesday night to present Klein with the Legion of Honour for his role in nurturing ties between Alberta and France, which invests in the province's oilsands.

"The Ralph Klein years have been happy years for the relation and partnership between Alberta and France," said Ambassador Daniel Jouanneau in naming Klein a chevalier, or knight, of the order.

Created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the award is France's highest honour. Klein joins the ranks of Queen Elizabeth II, U.S. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and comedian Jerry Lewis.

"C'est un grand plaisir. Merci, merci. Thank you. Enough of my Diefenbaker French," Klein said to laughter from the audience.

The former premier told CBC News the award recognizes his commitment to French culture in Alberta: "The reason is I enjoy the French community. My uncle was French …. He had a son and a daughter.

"Their names were Romeo and Juliet — totally French — and they spoke French all the time, and I was so mad at them for speaking French that I used to say, 'For God's sake, speak English.'

"And of course, they would continue to speak French just to annoy me," he chuckled.

Klein joins a list of other Canadians honoured by France, including Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin and dozens of soldiers who helped liberate France in the Second World War.

"This is like receiving the Order of Canada — only from a foreign country," said Klein.

According to the 2001 census, almost 66,000 Albertans — or about two per cent of the province — listed their mother tongue as French.