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Hundreds of young French students flooded the town hall square on Thursday to attend the raising ceremony of a flag that could end up floating forever.
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Hundreds of young French students flooded the town hall square on Thursday to attend the raising ceremony of a flag that could end up floating forever.
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About 450 students from the French Catholic School Board were transported by bus to witness the hoisting of the Franco-Ontarian flag in honor of its 41st birthday.
Mayor Drew Dilkens spoke at the event and said he wanted the flag to be a permanent feature of the New Town Hall.
“I am going to present a notice of motion and ask the municipal council to install a permanent Franco-Ontarian flag when the new town hall opens in 2018, in recognition of the fact that this whole neighborhood was built by French settlers and was really started by French settlers, ”Dilkens said. “I think it’s important to recognize that permanently.
Elizabeth Brito, of the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario, said there are about 30,000 people in the French community in the Windsor area. This year’s census will give a clearer picture of the actual number, but she said it appears to be increasing.
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The flag should fly at city hall, she said, to represent this large population.
“It is important to hoist the Franco-Ontarian flag here in Windsor to reflect the French presence in Chatham-Kent and especially here in Windsor,” said Brito.
She said the flag, created in 1975, was first hoisted in Sudbury. The flag is green and white to represent summer and winter, with a trillium and a lily on it.
The anniversary isn’t actually until September 25, Brito said, but organizers have organized the event a few days in advance for logistical reasons.
“It will be a few days of celebration,” Brito said.
Dilkens said the Franco-Ontarian flag should be flown permanently over City Hall, after so many groups were only given the honor temporarily, due to the important role of the French community in the history of Windsor.
“We’re talking about building the community,” Dilkens said. “We are not talking about church flags or any other type of flag. We are talking about people who made a significant contribution to the community to found it.
“I think it’s appropriate to recognize that our nation understands that we are bilingual, that we have two official languages. It is fitting that the City of Windsor recognizes its settlers and founders.
