Statement made on 17 November 2009 by Senator Fernand Robichaud
Hon. Fernand Robichaud:
Honourable senators, I have already mentioned the town where I reside, Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick, is known as the cradle of the Acadian flag, the blue, white and red tricolour flag with a star on the blue.
To make it more official and tangible, the Saint-Louis-de-Kent community came together on Sunday, November 8, 2009, to hoist a huge Acadian flag that was nearly 9 by 18 metres, on a 37-metre pole in the middle of town, where the bridge meets the hill.
That is how the village of Saint-Louis-de-Kent wants to honour and display its historical legacy.
The people of Saint-Louis-de-Kent are prouder than the flagpole is tall, and their hospitality is far greater than the size of the flag they hoisted.
It was Msgr. Marcel-François Richard, a man from Saint-Louis-de-Kent who also served there as vicar and priest, who, in the 19th century, proposed the adoption of the flag, with its tricolour and star, as a symbol of Acadian identity.
On August 15, 1884, the Acadians met at their second national convention in Miscouche, Prince Edward Island, and chose a distinctive flag.
Msgr. Richard wanted Acadia to have a flag to remember not only that its children are French, but also that they are Acadians.
Msgr. Richard had the first flag made by Marie Babineau, a resident of Saint-Louis-de-Kent.
At this memorable and touching ceremony, the Saint-Louis choir sang the Acadian national anthem, Ave Maris Stella, and the participants were then treated to a very interesting and fascinating lecture by historian Maurice Basque.
Honourable senators, this flag is a symbol of the tenacity and vitality of the Acadian people. It is a reminder of who we are, of our sense of belonging and our francophone identity. In other words, over the years, the tricolour and star has been the most powerful symbol of cultural identity for the Acadian people.
I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to the mayor and municipal councillors, and to Bernard Landry, the president of the organizing committee for the 125th anniversary celebrations of the Acadian flag. It was a job well done and a memorable event.