Acadian Flag-raising Ceremony

Moncton, Friday, August 14, 2009

My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond, our daughter Marie-Éden and I are honoured to be here with you at Moncton City Hall for the raising of the Acadian flag on the eve of the 125^th anniversary of its creation.

On August 15, 1884, Father Marcel-François Richard, the priest for Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick, presented the tricolour—with a golden star in its sea of blue—to be, as he said, the distinctive mark of the Acadian nationality.

Three colours demonstrate the attachment Acadians have to the French language and culture. One star, Stella Maris, guides Acadia “through storms and reefs.”

I am especially delighted to be here today, Your Worship, as I myself have Acadian roots through my great-grandmother, Célia LeBlanc, daughter of Cangé LeBlanc, whose father arrived with hundreds of other Acadians in 1763 in Saint-Domingue, a French colony in the West Indies, later renamed Haiti, its original name, when it achieved independence in 1804.

I explained this two days ago to the young people gathered in Tracadie-Sheila for the Grand Rassemblement Jeunesse, of which I was honoured to be the patron. I spoke of the many branches of the extended Acadian family. I told them how in a spirit of inclusion, solidarity and friendship, its path has always been a part of the human experience.

I am also thrilled to make this symbolic gesture because Moncton has set a standard for all of Canada in terms of the inclusion of cultural and linguistic groups, the bridging of generations and an openness to the world.

I would also like to welcome the Anglophones who joined us today and those from all origins, as the distinctiveness of the Acadian region and its cultural wealth are close to their hearts.

Moncton was the first city in Canada to be given official bilingual status; it set up advisory committees made up of elders and youth; and it established a partnership with the Commune of Kaladougou in Mali: these are just a few recent developments that demonstrate the vibrancy and fraternity that drives the people of Moncton.

It is so good to be here with you.

I had the pleasure earlier this morning, at the Université de Moncton, of presenting the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Awards to six people who are extremely committed to their communities, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to ten young people who have distinguished themselves through their personal accomplishments as well as their community involvement.

This afternoon, my husband, our daughter and I will have the opportunity to visit the Quest youth residence and then we will hold a Youth Dialogue at the Aberdeen Cultural Centre on the central theme of young people’s contribution to the search for peace and solidarity.

Young people are one of my priorities, and I am pleased to see that Your Worship and the members of the municipal council are of the same mind.

I am told that the youth advisory committee has been a resounding success.

This makes me very happy, as I believe young people must have the necessary means and resources to share their perspective and to help find solutions to the problems that plague our communities and the entire planet.

It is essential that their points of views are taken into account in decision-making processes.

Dearest Acadians, I would like to wish you the very best as you celebrate National Acadian Day tomorrow.

I can already hear the revelry starting. It is certain to be a great, noisy, joyous celebration!

Thank you, dear friends, for your warm welcome. Long live Acadia!