Ontario Celebrates Franco-Ontarian Day

Today, Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Francophone Affairs, issued the following statement in recognition of Franco-Ontarian Day:

“I am pleased to join all of you in celebrating September 25, Franco-Ontarian Day. This symbolic day celebrates the dynamism, creativity and knowhow of the province’s Francophone community.

Francophones have been present in Ontario for over 400 years, and have always played an important role in the evolution of Ontario society. Whether they are from here or elsewhere, everyone who identifies with Ontario’s Francophonie contributes to our province’s cultural wealth and economic growth.

This Francophone community deserves an environment that is conducive to its development so that it can continue to participate actively in the province’s prosperity. The Government of Ontario is capitalizing on the recent modernization of the French Language Services Act and Francophone economic development to support our community’s momentum. By working to improve access to French language services and increase the number of skilled Francophone and bilingual workers, Francophones will flourish.

We celebrate September 25 in our schools, in our public spaces and on the grounds of Queen’s Park. This day is an opportunity for our government to honour the members of our Franco-Ontarian family and thank them for their dedication and determination to make our province a place that reflects their ambitions, interests and values. I wish each and every one of you a wonderful Franco-Ontarian Day!”