History of the Franco-Ontarian flag, a symbol of struggle

On September 21, 2020, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario the adoption of the law 182 making the Franco-Ontarian flag the official emblem of Ontario. It is the consecration of this symbol that was then preparing to blow out its 45 candles.

In a good part of the 20th century^e century, the flags used by the Franco-Ontarian community at religious or civic demonstrations were the same as those of Quebec, ie Carillon – Sacred Heart and the fleur delis. It was the time ofFrench Canada».

Also read: Who owns the Francophonie Canada?

Looking for a unique symbol

In the 1960s, with the rise of Quebec’s independence movement, Franco-Ontarian elites wanted to create a community-specific symbol.

Therefore, the Federation of Saint-Jean-Baptiste Associations of Ontario present in 1964 a flag very similar to the ancestor of the Quebec flag, the Carillon-Sacré-Cœur, but with a trill in the center of the white cross, Ontario’s floral symbol, instead of the Sacré-Cœur.

But the proposal did not receive much of a response in the French community and the flag fell apart.

The beginning of the 1970s marked the arrival of a new movement of identity in French Ontario. It is in this context of cultural influence and identity that a small group from Laurentian University, in Sudbury, is working carefully – not to say secretly – on the design of a new flag.

Onward attribute the authorship of this flag goes to Gaétan Gervais, historian and professor of history, and to Michel Dupuis, student of political science. Others contributed to this process as well.

The flag that would be raised for the first time on September 25, 1975, however, was very different from the one proposed by the elites more than 10 years earlier. It consists of two squares: on the left is a white fleur-de-lis on a green background that represents summer; on the right, a green trillium, the floral symbol of Ontario, on a white background that represents winter.

Franco-Ontarians are thus the second French community outside of Quebec to have a flag. Acadia had already done so 91 years earlier at the second Acadian National Convention, in 1884, by electing the French tricolor decorated with a yellow starsymbol of the Virgin Mary.

Slow progress and recognition

The first steps of the new flag in Franco-Ontarian society is shy A “competitive” flag decided by a group of cultural leaders from Ottawa was even presented to the leaders of the French community, but this effort stopped there.

In 1977, the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario (which became the Assembly of Francophonie Ontario) officially adopted the flag. The following year, in 1978, the latter was raised to a first establishment French school, that is Hearst high school.

The flag took on the appearance of a political symbol in 1979 when it flew over the French high school in Penetanguishene, in the heart of Ontario. The gesture is very symbolic, as the Huronia school that opened its doors that year was not recognized by the provincial government.

the school”against”, as they called it, in response to the district school board’s refusal to establish a French high school. It will take three years for the community to win its case.

The flag, a symbol of the “cause” of France

Over the years, the flag has been present at activist events and demonstrations for post-secondary education in French. For example, it becomes true rallying machine during SOS Montfort’s fight to save the French hospital in Ottawa.

At 25^e anniversary, in 2000, there is no doubt that the Franco-Ontarian flag has become an important symbol of identity for the community, which celebrates here and there this fourth century of life. We see it more and more in cultural and activist events.

After acceptance by the community comes intelligence of the Ontario government, which officially granted the flag the status of the official emblem of Franco-Ontarians on June 21, 2001. Thus the province recognizes the role and contribution of the entire Franco-Ontarian community.

Despite this government’s “imprimatur”, some cities with a high Francophone concentration are reluctant to raise the Franco-Ontarian flag in front of their main building. In 2003, Sudbury city councilors rejected a proposal for this. Mayor John Rodriguez, on his first day in office on December 1, 2006, will be solely responsible for decision to install permanently.

The green and white flag is so embedded in the psyche of the Francophone community that its creation day, September 25, became Franco-Ontarian Day in 2010, officially recognized by an act of the Legislative Assembly of the great – department.

Population status

The community will celebrate five years later, in 2015, the 400^e anniversary of the French presence in Ontario. His flag is everywhere. Even major symbols of the province, such as Niagara Falls and the CN Tower in Toronto, display the symbolic colors of Franco-Ontarians.

And it’s not over! The Franco-Ontarian flag continues to occupy an ever-increasing place in the province’s space. Large versions of the green and white flag fly in front of the 18″Monuments of the French world», which has been built in the province since 2006, a project that is now in charge of the Ontario Francophonie Assembly.

After recognizing the flag as Ontario’s official emblem in 2020, Queen’s Park MPs voted unanimously to display the flag permanently in the Legislative Chamber and on the grounds of the Legislative Assembly building.

This success does not prevent obstacles. In 2024, the city of Greenstone, in northern Ontario, has decided not to permanently launch this Franco-Ontarian symbol in front of the city hall. He had been tied to the mast for almost 10 years.

The town council was therefore changing its policy regarding flags in order, she said, to better represent other community groups, especially Aboriginal people.

The French community, making up about 20% of Greenstone’s population, strongly opposed the move, even offering to fund the construction of two additional piers.

The town council then agreed to commission a report on the matter, but in June 2024, they stuck to their decision.

This is where the crane hurts…