Statement by Minister Joly on Franco-Ontarian Day

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 42^nd 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