It is that time of year we celebrate our francophone heritage.

Samuel de Champlain... Diplomat, Explorer (d. 1635)

As mentioned in an article on bio.com in 1615, Champlain made a brave voyage into the interior of Canada accompanied by a tribe of Native Americans with whom he had good relations, the Hurons. Champlain and the French aided the Hurons in an attack on the Iroquois, but they lost the battle and Champlain was hit in the knee with an arrow and unable to walk. He lived with the Hurons that winter, between the foot of Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe. During his stay, he composed one of the earliest and most detailed accounts of Native American life.

 

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Franco-Ontarian-Cuisine

See if you can recognize some of these foods which we have grown accustomed to living in a francophone community.

This first one has seen more exposure over the years, I think in part by the internet... it truly is a delicious place to start.

for some, December and January are the only months of the year they see this next one...

Tourtiere Tart, or Meat Pie is a staple food in a francophone family. We grew up on this tasty pastry (mostly seasonal) mouth watering greatness more than just during the holidays.

a recipe so you can enjoy tourtiere as well. Tourtiere Recipe

 

and for our next trick we bring you the "Poorman's Pudding" which is fit for a King. This has got to be one of the most delicious desserts, pretty much straight sugar (maple syrup) and cake.

Living in a francophone community is a cultural doorway which allows us to experience differences in language, food and so much more. Visit the attractions throughout the week as we celebrate Semaine Francaise (French Week) in Ontario

for Francophone Events visit... Semaine Francaise 400th Ontario 1615 - 2015 pdf

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Population Statistics of francophone's in Ontario

According to the OFA website, The distribution of the francophone population in Ontario is as follows: 42.2% of Francophone's live in Eastern Ontario; 30.0% live in Central Ontario; 20.8% live in Northeastern Ontario; 5.7% live in Southwestern Ontario; and 1.2% live in Northwestern Ontario.

Like the general population of Ontario, the Franco-Ontarian community is diverse and vibrant. For many years, it has welcomed francophone's from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Today, francophone racial minorities represent 10% of the province's Francophone population (OFA, 2014). for a more detailed look visit The OFA Website

Notable Franco-Ontarian's

Jeopardy! Alex Trebek hails from Ontario and is often enough heard giving props to his Canadian origins right on the television program.

Image Source: "Alex Trebek 2009" by marabuchi

Want to see a list of Franco-Ontarian's

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Citations:

Portrait of the Francophone Community in Ontario. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2015, from http://www.ofa.gov.on.ca/en/franco.html

"Alex Trebek 2009" by marabuchi - http://www.flickr.com/photos/79493961@N00/3416565449/. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alex_Trebek_2009.jpg#/media/File:Alex_Trebek_2009.jpg

Samuel de Champlain. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 09:25, Jun 01, 2015, from http://www.biography.com/people/samuel-de-champlain-9243971