Statement made on 02 June 2010 by Senator Maria Chaput
Hon. Maria Chaput:
Honourable senators, I rise today to draw attention to the 30th anniversary of the Franco-Manitoban flag.
Allow me to tell the story behind our flag, which was designed in 1980 by Cyril Parent of Manitoba. The Franco-Manitoban flag features red and yellow bands representing the Red River and Manitoba's wheat, and green stems symbolizing deep roots which become living leaves that form an "F" for francophones.
A group of 29 Manitoba cyclists travelled 2,200 kilometres from Winnipeg to Ottawa to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Franco-Manitoban flag and raise its profile across Canada. The event was called "À vélo pour mon drapeau!"
Before getting under way, they gathered around the gravesite of Louis Riel, a founding father of Manitoba and staunch defender of francophones' rights. The group set off from the Saint-Boniface cathedral on Friday, May 14, at 7 a.m. The trek that began on May 14 in Winnipeg ended in Ottawa on May 30. On Monday, May 31, the cyclists and their support team were welcomed to Ottawa by the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, and by Shelly Glover, the member for Saint-Boniface. It was my great pleasure to be at the reception. The president of the Franco-Manitoban society, Ibrahima Diallo, gave a very touching speech.
I would like to close with some of Mr. Diallo's words:
The word "tenacity" is often used to describe the history of Manitoba's Francophonie and the people who choose to be a part of it. How else can one explain the fact that Manitoba has always had a modern and dynamic Francophonie that brings together people of Franco-Manitoban origin, the Métis, immigrants, bilingual people and francophiles? People love being part of our francophone community, which encourages them to be the best they can be. People say that a symbol represents an evocative, magical or mystical object or image. For the past 30 years, the Franco-Manitoban flag has been our symbol, the symbol of a modern and dynamic Francophonie.
Honourable senators, now more than ever before, this flag will inspire a deep feeling of pride and belonging in us and for us.