| BIT PLAYER ON BIG STAGES A Riveting Journey Through Diplomacy, Advocacy, and Cultural Survival |
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| Toronto, ON – Sutherland House Books is pleased to announce the September 2025 release of Bit Player on Big Stages: A Journey Through Diplomacy, Advocacy, and Cultural Survival by Roger Turenne, now available for pre-order. From the heart of small-town Saint-Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba, to the corridors of international diplomacy, Roger Turenne’s beautiful memoir chronicles a life dedicated to public service, cultural preservation, and environmental activism. Born into a Francophone family, Turenne brings a sharp, eloquent voice to previously untold stories of his remarkable career as a diplomat, government advisor, and conservationist. Paul G. Thomas, Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba, writes in his foreword “The integrating theme of Roger’s fascinating life is his dedication to public service, whether working within the Francophone community, the national or provincial government, or leading an environmental advocacy organization… Honesty, authenticity and candor are other desirable qualities of a good memoir. These are hallmarks of Roger’s descriptions of his life.” Bit Player on Big Stages delivers an enthralling narrative of courage and conviction as Turenne describes pivotal yet little-known moments in Canadian history. Readers will discover a gripping account of an assassination plot orchestrated by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau playing a crucial role in preventing the attack. Turenne takes readers through the turbulent realities of life in Africa during the 1970s, to the front lines of Manitoba’s French language crisis, where the origins and internal conflicts of this crisis are revealed for the first time. As founding president of the Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), Turenne led successful campaigns to protect wilderness areas, including blocking logging in Nopiming Provincial Park and establishing Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park. His environmental activism demonstrates the same principled courage that marked his remarkable diplomatic career and life of community service. The memoir is simultaneously published in French by Les Éditions du Blé, following Turenne’s acclaimed “Mon pays noir sur blanc — Regards sur le Manitoba français”. This bilingual publication approach reflects his commitment to preserving Francophone culture in Western Canada, offering readers lessons on resilience and identity. Woven throughout with humour, honesty, and reverence for those who supported him along the way, Bit Player on Big Stages stands as a testament to the enduring importance of standing up for what matters. Turenne’s storytelling combines vulnerability with inspiration, creating a compelling memoir that resonates with anyone striving to make a meaningful impact in their community and beyond. From confronting child soldiers in Africa and anti-French sentiment in Manitoba, to mobilizing grassroots environmental campaigns, Turenne’s stories illuminate the power of principled action in shaping both local communities and international relations. Praise for “Bit Player on Big Stages”: “Roger Turenne served his community, his province and his country with insight and determination. A true public servant in the very best sense of that phrase.” – Michael Decter, Former Cabinet Secretary, Government of Manitoba; Former Deputy Minister of Health, Ontario; Order of Canada recipient; and author of Tales From the Backroom. “Roger Turenne may refer to himself as a bit player, but his fascinating memoir attests to a life lived full of purpose. As readers will see, as a diplomat, as an advocate for Franco-Manitobans, and as an environmental activist, Turenne traversed different worlds, leaving his own indelible impact along the way.” – Asa McKercher, PhD, St. Francis Xavier University “Roger Turenne’s bracing memoir reads almost like a history of modern Canada. Beginning with his Franco-Manitoban upbringing, to diplomatic service amidst the roil of 1970s’ Africa, to the language and environmental politics of the 1980s and well beyond, Bit Player on Big Stages tells the fascinating story of a dedicated but independently minded Canadian public servant. Turenne’s life is both impressively broad and highly revealing of the nature of the country he gratefully calls home.” – C. Brad Faught, PhD, Tyndale University, Toronto, and Senior Fellow, Massey College, University of Toronto. Author of Cairo 1921: Ten Days that Made the Middle East. About the Author: Roger Turenne served for 14 years as a Foreign Service Officer in Canada’s External Affairs department, with assignments in Ottawa, in Paris as Deputy Permanent Delegate of Canada to UNESCO, and in Kinshasa and Stockholm where he headed the political sections of the Canadian embassies in the those countries. He was also a Senior Adviser on French language services to the Premiers of Manitoba and was the architect of the language policies of both the Pawley and the Filmon administrations. He has written numerous magazine and newspaper articles on conservation and political issues in Manitoba. Bit Player on Big Stages: A Journey Through Diplomacy, Advocacy, and Cultural Survival is available for pre-order now, with release in September 2025. https://www.amazon.ca/Bit-Player-Big-Stages-Diplomacy/dp/1069039667/ Media Inquiries: Sasha Stoltz Publicity Sasha Stoltz | [email protected] | 416.579.4804 https://www.sashastoltzpublicity.com |
