Northern Ont. celebrates 50th anniversary of Franco-Ontarian Flag

Thursday was the 50th anniversary of the Franco-Ontarian flag and to celebrate, there was a gathering at the University of Sudbury.

Franco-Ontarians in Greater Sudbury beamed with pride and excitement on Thursday, celebrating their culture on the 50th anniversary of the Franco-Ontarian Flag at the very site of its creation.

Legacy born from student engagement

The flag was first raised in 1975 after its creation at the University of Sudbury by history professor Gaétan Gervais and a group of students.

Serge Miville, from the Université du Sudbury, reflected on the enduring impact of their actions during the celebration.

“It goes to show that, you know, the young people who dare to do something and who go and act and are engaged, they can make a real difference, even if it’s just with a symbolic flag,” he said.

New Democratic Party Leader Marit Stiles was in Sudbury to honour the flag’s birthplace.

“It’s extremely important that we celebrate that, that diversity of our culture here,” Stiles said.

Emblem of shared pride and identity

For Joanne Gervais, the late flag designer’s sister and director of the Association Canadienne Française De L’Ontario du Grand Sudbury, the day was deeply personal. Gervais has followed in her brother’s footsteps by advocating for Franco-Ontarians.

“I’m just thankful to my brother and the others that created the flag and distributed it, that they had the idea to do that because it is an emblem that encompasses us all,” she said.

Gervais explained that the flag represents her pride as a Franco-Ontarian and serves as a way of connecting with everyone through a shared language and culture.

“We speak French, but we’re from Ontario,” she said.

“We’re proud to brandish that flag here in Ontario, and today, well, it’s its 50th anniversary. So, let’s party.”

Dual celebration: The reopening of a francophone institution

The anniversary celebration coincided with another significant milestone: the reopening of the University of Sudbury as an independent French institution this September. The university was previously federated with Laurentian University, which severed ties with its federated universities in 2021.

“For that institution to have been cut out so mercilessly with what happened at Laurentian University, just to be able to accept students and to, you know, to reopen its doors in an official capacity, that’s an amazing moment,” Gervais said.

Miville emphasized the historical significance of the day.

“The institution and the community has been working towards us for well over a century,” he said.

“It’s actually one of the most significant moments in the history of francophone Ontario.”

Miville added that the difficult battle to reopen the university gave the community even more reason to celebrate its achievements.

Sudbury MPP Jamie West recalled his pledge of support during the fight to save the institution.

“I said, we’ll fight with you on this and I gave him a flag, because when you go into battle, you bring a flag,” said West.

“I said, I’ll bring you another flag when we win.”

He and Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas delivered on that promise at the flag-raising ceremony at the University of Sudbury.

Political dignitaries meet a mixed reception

The celebration was attended by numerous dignitaries, including Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Edith Dumont, Minister Caroline Mulroney, and Minister Nolan Quinn. However, not all politicians were welcomed warmly – the audience booed Quinn.

One attendee intermittently yelled, “save our colleges” while many present turned their backs to her as she spoke at the podium.

Celebrations extend beyond Sudbury

The holiday celebrations extended beyond the flag’s birthplace. In North Bay, students gathered at the Capitol Centre to listen to performances from artists before the flag was temporarily raised in front of City Hall, marking a day of Franco-Ontarian pride across the region.