September 21, 2005 Source: Laurentian University of Sudbury:
http://www.laurentian.ca/?file=newsrelease/2005/sept/sept21_franco_flag_e.php Celebrating thirty years of the Franco-Ontarian flag A special celebration marking the 30th anniversary of the Franco-Ontarian flag will be held at the University of Sudbury, a Federated University at Laurentian University, on Sunday, September 25. This event will begin in the Canisius Hall at 3 p.m. before moving outdoors at 4 p.m. where the flag will be raised at the same location and at the exact time it was first raised 30 years ago. A reception, sponsored by Laurentian University, will follow in the Canisius Hall. Taking part in this commemorative ceremony are: Dr. Judith Woodsworth, Laurentian University President; Dr. Andrii Krawchuk, University of Sudbury President; Dr. Gaétan Gervais, Laurentian University history professor and one of the flag’s designers; and Dr. Guy Gaudreau, Laurentian University history professor and director of the book Le drapeau franco-ontarien. The author Jean Marc Dalpé, three times recipient of the Governor General’s Literary Award and recipient of an honorary degree from Laurentian University, will be master of ceremony. During this memorable event, Dr. Gaétan Gervais will be awarded the Ordre des Cent-Associés. Le drapeau franco-ontarien, a document that recounts the history of the Franco-Ontarian flag, will also be launched during this event. This book describes the circumstances surrounding the creation of the flag, chronicles the struggles of Franco-Ontarians, and recounts the significant events which led to its official recognition by Queen’s Park in 2001. Directed by Guy Gaudreau and published by Prise de parole, it includes written contributions from Tina Desabrais, Denise Quesnel, Stéphanie St-Pierre, Francine Tisdelle and Gaétan Gervais. Thirty years ago, the Franco-Ontarian flag was displayed for the first time atop a flagpole at the University of Sudbury, the oldest post-secondary educational institution in Northeastern Ontario. Dr. Gaétan Gervais, then a young history professor at Laurentian University, conceived the project with a group of Franco-Ontarian students including Yves Tassé, Donald Obonsawin and Michel Dupuis. The flag was officially adopted by the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario (ACFO) in 1977. The fleur-de-lis represents the French origins of the Franco-Ontarian community as well as its link with the French-language community. The trillium flower is the symbol of its permanent presence in Ontario and its willingness to contribute to Ontario’s development. The green background represents our summers while the white background is the symbol of our winters. Today, the Franco-Ontarian flag is displayed atop thousands flagpoles across the province, and has become a powerful symbol of Franco-Ontarians struggles and aspirations. According to Dr. Gaétan Gervais, still a history professor at Laurentian University, the Franco-Ontarian’s flag genesis reflects the cultural effervescence of the early 1970s. Dr. Judith Woodsworth, Laurentian University President, declared: “The Franco-Ontarian flag is at once a symbol of the French reality in this part of the country. It also represents the continuity of our 300 years of presence here and of the ideal of the future that is at the heart of our heritage. I am very proud that it was from here that its testimony began to spread first into the province of Ontario, then across all of Canada.” Reference: Paul de la Riva Public Affairs Laurentian University Sudbury, Ontario (705) 675-1151, ext. 3406 pdelarivalaurentian.ca www.laurentian.ca
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