Franco-Ontarian Day (September 25)

Today, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is celebrating the vibrant Francophone culture in Northwestern Ontario by hoisting the Franco-Ontarian Day flag. Representatives from the Association des francophones du Nord-Ouest de l’Ontario (AFNOO) and Réseau du mieux-être francophone du Nord de l’Ontario (Réseau) attended the flag raising. Franco-Ontarian Day highlights the significant contributions of Ontario’s Francophone community to the province’s cultural, historical, social, economic, and political life. With over 622,000 Francophones and 1.5 million French speakers, Ontario boasts the largest Francophone community outside of Quebec. The date, September 25th, commemorates the inaugural raising of the Franco-Ontarian Flag in 1975.

TBRHSC recognizes the importance of providing culturally sensitive care to improve health outcomes and the quality of care. The Hospital is dedicated to meeting the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of all patients, including the diverse Francophone population.

TBRHSC is committed to ensuring that it respects and responds to Francophone cultural preferences, needs, and values, along with those of all the other diverse populations it serves.

Our Hospital is in the process of recruiting an Equity, Inclusion and Diversity (EDI) Coordinator that will lead a number of initiatives at TBRHSC, including the French Language Services. Their vast knowledge of the Francophone community of Thunder Bay and areas served by the Hospital, will help deliver EDI services within the health care setting in French.

(From L-R): Justin Garofalo, Interim Vice President, Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer TBRHSC; Chantal Doucet, Executive Director, L’Accueil Francophone de Thunder Bay; Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO, TBRHSC, and CEO, Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute; Chantal Chartrand, Planning and Community Engagement Officer, North West Region Le Reseau Du Mieux-Etre Franophone Du Nord De L’Ontario; Dr. Miranda Lesperance, Vice President, Indigenous Collaboration, Equity & Inclusion.