''Hughie's Keynote speech at the EFM Conference in Winnipeg was a breath of fresh air! Very engaging , so funny, and he 100% got his message across that laughter and having fun help us learn and work better! He had everyone ‘s attention of the crowd of 600 people, and it was fun to laugh with educators from all over the province. His standing ovation was well deserved!’' (Gillian Derraugh , Manitoba)
‘’Hughie exceeded our expectations with his charm, wit, interactions, and ability to engage the audience. The theme of laughter has a new definition for us and members were entusiastic from start to finish! The transference of languages was a major plus and highly appreciated by our francophone members , and was natural , not staged. Hughie was a fantastic crowd pleaser and deepened our momentum for two full days. The audience wanted more and are asking for another session with him. Hughie stands as one of our favorites!! (Theresa McAllister, President, CUPE 2745)
“My son had made the decision not to continue in French next year. I don't know what the guest speaker (Hughie Batherson) said but when my son got home from school, he said he wanted to continue in French next year! ” (Parent , Sydney ,NS)
Cher Hughie, Merci pour la présentation exceptionnelle, Je me suis donné le cadeau de bilinguisme, à Barnhill Memorial School le 11 décembre 2024. Ce fut vraiment inspirant ! Bien que certains élèves aient été initialement réticents à l'idée d'une séance centrée sur le français, vos premiers mots les ont captivés, et ils sont restés engagés jusqu'à la fin. Votre parcours et votre passion pour le bilinguisme ont laissé une impression durable sur chacun d’eux. Nous vous sommes très reconnaissants pour le temps et les efforts que vous avez consacrés à connecter avec nos élèves et espérons avoir l’opportunité de vous accueillir à nouveau l’année prochaine ! (Ruth Kingne -Enseignante)
“We need more moments like this in school ! Thanks Hughie!’’ -Participant of ‘Harness the Power of Humour” presentation , January 2021
“Ma fille est arrivée chez nous avec une nouvele appréciation pour la langue et culture française, après avoir écouté la présentation de Hughie. Elle a saisi l'importance de l'immersion! ’’ (Cathy Nock, Parent)
''I would like to thank Hughie for all his good advice and enthusiasm for bilingualism. He shared his story and passion for the language while bringing the students back to their own experiences in French Immersion. He presented quality information about bilingualism in Canada, and I really appreciated the way he encouraged the active participation of students. I would like to highlight the quality of his presentation, his level of respect for the students, and the professionalism he demonstrated during each session. His presentations were great motivators for our students and the teachers had nothing but good things to say." -Suzanne Aucoin, French as a Second Language Consultant, Cape Breton Regional Center for Education
“ For our staff at the Nova Scotia Council of Economic Development , we invited speaker Hughie Batherson. He used his personal and professional experience while referring to his Action/Research on Humour in the workplace to bring to light the benefits of humour , and at the same time he brought a positive vibe to our work-day! His natural comedic talent was entertaining while he emphasized the value of humour in the work-place”. -Julie Oliver, General Manager, CDÉNÉ
“The best workshop I’ve seen in 14 years working in Education!’’ -Carissa Larade . École de l’Étoile de l’Acadie.
"Hughie Batherson is a rising star who represents the dynamism in "la Francophonie canadienne’’. While using his ‘’grand talent’’ in standup comedy, he leads the crowd through waves of laughter while sharing his story and the importance of bilingualism in Canada’’. - Maxime Bourgeois, CEO Synergie Fr, Memremcook, NB.
’Les élèves, tout comme moi, l'ont grandement apprécié! Hughie a un excellent sens de l'humour et son appréciation pour le bilinguisme était contagieux!'' - Enseignante (Anglophone School District-South)
‘’Hughie gave the best presentation! He was so engaging and the kids loved it! They all said how great it was! He was funny and related to the kids very well. I would really like if we could have him back next year! – Enseignante (Anglophone School District-South)
''In order to nurture the feeling of linguistic security and to allow a little 45 minutes of relaxation with the staff of our school, we invited Hughie to come and entertain us! He showed us that laughter helps to erase stress at work! All the staff recognized themselves through their hilarious stories!" -Lynne Thériault, Assistant Principal of the École acadienne de Truro.
“ We are very pleased to have retained the services of Hughie Batherson once again, this time to do a comedy show for the joint party for the 25th anniversary of RDÉE Prince Edward Island and the 15th anniversary of our Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI. We absolutely loved his show, including all his crazy little songs, super-comic stories, facial expressions and physical gestures. It was impossible to predict in which direction he was going with his stories. The crowd gave him a standing ovation at the end of the evening! What a great way to end our celebration! It was like the icing on the cake!” -Raymond J. Arsenault, RDÉE PEI Inc. and Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI
“Hughie has excellent stage presence and was a huge surprise at this year's festival in Moncton.” - Francois Simard, Vice-President, Juste pour rire/Just for Laughs
“How to create a successful hockey fund raiser that is topical, genuine, engaging and highly entertaining? You take one part strong organizers, one part great audience and all parts of Hughie Batherson. Hughie is a true east coast comedian who skillfully balances wit, song and humour with his authentic down home accents, stories and characters. We laughed, cried and related in an unforgettable evening." - Scott Estabrooks “Hughie was very gracious to volunteer his time for a fundraiser we hosted for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Hughie’s comedy has a down home feel that relates to everyone in the room. He does a fantastic job at working with the crowd and adjusts his show with ease. He provides over an hour of non-stop laughs that is a great escape from the trials of life. I highly recommend checking Hughie’s act out!” -Kyle Schmeisser, Team Captain of Miracle Workers Team in Hockey Heroes for Heart and Stroke Foundation
“Hughie is a natural in the art of standup comedy. He has instant comedic presence on stage and grasps very quickly his audience. Through his personal life experiences, he is able to take his crowd on a laugh out loud voyage! His act is not to be missed!” – Daniel Leblanc, Artistic Director, Festival Acadien de Clare.
''Hughie’s strength is his capacity to connect with young second language students as they can identify with his experiences learning French. He uses his ‘’grand talent’’ in humour to deliver an important message on the importance of bilingualism. I strongly recommend Hughie Batherson for Youth conferences!'' -Jean-Marc Arsenault , Coordinator of the French for the Future Forum in Moncton
“Hughie Batherson has the ability to walk onto a stage and instantly grab the attention of his audience, no matter where he goes. His comfort level in front of big crowds is remarkable, whether it is in English or French. He was our choice for the role of Master of Ceremonies for the opening of the largest International Highland Dancing Event in North America. Hughie settled into the crowd of well over 1300 people like he was giving a private concert, amazing! ” -Ann Landry , Event Chair
‘’Hughie Batherson did a masterful job at this year's Wharf Rat Rally. A long grind as MC / Host of the Cold Stream Stage over three days, and he nailed it like the true pro he is !'' - Chris Larson, President of Sports Entertainment Atlantic.