Today, Franco-Ontarians celebrate their culture and the anniversary of their flag
OTTAWA, Sept. 25, 2017 /CNW/ - Today, Ontario's Francophone community celebrates its culture and the 42nd anniversary of its flag.
From Chatham to Timmins, through Fort Frances and L'Orignal, Franco-Ontarians make up Canada's largest French-speaking community outside Quebec. For more than 400 years, they have shown exceptional solidarity as they have found their place.
Being a Francophone in Ontario also means being part of a diverse community, which is enriched by new arrivals from around the world who join its ranks year after year.
Members of Ontario's French-speaking community can be proud of their province's many artists, who allow us to learn more about their culture and heritage. Their works make us think; they move us and surprise us.
Today, on Franco-Ontarian Day, Francophones throughout the province also celebrate the anniversary of the Franco-Ontarian flag. The flag was officially raised for the first time on September 25, 1975, at Laurentian University in Sudbury. Its green and white colours symbolize summer and winter; the fleur-de-lys represents the community's connection to the Canadian Francophonie, and the white trillium is the official flower of Ontario.
As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I wish everyone a happy Franco-Ontarian Day. This year, as we celebrate Canada 150, I invite all Canadians to discover the richness of this important community and its tremendous contribution to our country's social, economic, political and cultural heritage.
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
(media only), please contact: Rachel Rappaport, Acting Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, 819-997-7788
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