Ontario Celebrates its Francophone Community on Franco-Ontarian Day

TORONTO — Today, Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Francophone Affairs, issued the following statement:

“September 25 is Franco-Ontarian Day, a symbolic day and a wonderful opportunity for Ontario to celebrate the significant contributions of the Franco-Ontarian community to the cultural, social, economic and political life of our province.

As Minister of Francophone Affairs, it is an honour for me to work on developing Ontario’s Francophonie. The French language and our Francophone community are vital elements of our province’s identity and greatly contribute to the richness and plurality of our inclusive society.

On this occasion, I am proud to highlight the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding with the federal government to move forward with the implementation of the Université de l’Ontario français — a university by, and for, Francophones. It is a historic and decisive step towards the development of stronger, more empowered French-speaking communities in Ontario, for present and future generations.

Our commitment to the development of Ontario’s Francophonie is also reflected in the recent relaunch of the Francophone Community Grants Program. Through this program, we recognize Francophone businesses and communities as essential drivers of Ontario’s economic growth, and we are creating the right conditions for their success. In addition, the economic tour I undertook in 2018 helped identify priority areas of intervention, such as entrepreneurship and workforce training, from which we will develop a longer-term approach.

Our government also firmly believes in increasing the number of front-line services available in French in a range of areas such as health, justice and education. These services are essential for Franco-Ontarians to be able to take their place in the public arena and actively participate in the development of their community and our province.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and determination of the members of our Franco-Ontarian family. With great passion and energy, they make Ontario a dynamic and prosperous province, open to the Francophonie and other cultures, here and abroad.

On behalf of our government, I wish each and every one of you a wonderful Franco-Ontarian Day!”

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