Sault St. Marie and the French language: A sad beginning; A positive new beginning
During 1989-90 a number of municipalities in Ontario passed resolutions or motions declaring them to be ‘English-only’. This was, in part, a reaction to three key developments at the time. For some, the English-only resolutions were a way to make a political statement — no matter how misguided.
The first was the passage of the French-language Services Act by the Ontario Legislature in 1986. After a three-year implementation period, it came into force in November 1989. The second development was growing public opposition to the Meech Lake Accord, which was still awaiting final approval by all provinces. The third was the decision of the Bourassa government in December 1988 to invoke the ‘notwithstanding’ clause to preserve French-only signage laws. Each of these developments stirred powerful emotions. For some, the English-only resolutions were a way to make a political statement — no matter how misguided.
As Minister of Francophone Affairs, at that time, I met with municipal councils in Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay in an effort to dissuade them from passing such motions. In both cases I failed; the motions passed, as they did in a number of other municipalities. During the same period, I spoke at a meeting of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) where the issue was raised repeatedly. Politically it was a hot potato. Sadly, these actions deeply affected how Francophones in Sault Ste. Marie saw themselves and their community. Many Quebecers also viewed them as a direct attack on their place in Canada. The damage to relations between English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians was significant and felt nationwide.
Fast forward to 2024.
A new Mayor, Matthew Shoemaker, and Council in Sault Ste. Marie set out to rectify what had happened decades earlier. They wanted to send a clear message to Francophones — in the Sault, in Ontario, in Quebec and across Canada — that they were welcome. The Council introduced a new and explicitly positive resolution. While the negative motion of 1990 had been declared unconstitutional, the Council wanted to state publicly and unambiguously its commitment to a more inclusive direction for the city and to affirm the place of Francophones within it. They recognized that the earlier action had done real harm to how Francophone saw themselves both as members of the local community and as Canadian citizens.
And here is the Motion which was passed unanimously by Council on January 29, 2024.
The 2024 motion
Members of Council
9.1 French Language Services
Mover Councillor L. Dufour
Seconder Councillor L. Vezeau-Allen
Whereas since the first contact of Europeans with the Indigenous inhabitants of this area, Sault Ste. Marie’s history has been intertwined with French culture and language; and
Whereas Étienne Brûlé is believed to be the first settler to ever set foot in Bawating in 1622; 402 years ago. Brûlé identified the area on Samuel de Champlain’s 1632 map as “Sault”, giving Sault Ste. Marie the distinction of being the oldest recorded community in Ontario; and
Whereas Étienne Brûlé claimed the area of Bawating for France, naming it “Sault de Gaston”, after the brother of the then-King of France, Louis XIII;
Whereas Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit priest, established the first permanent settler mission in 1689, and adopted Sault de Sainte Marie as the name of the settlement, in effect ridding the area of its connection to the brother of the King, and honouring the Virgin Mary, all the while maintaining the name “Sault”, which is the traditional French word for rapids; and
Whereas since 1622 there has been a French presence in the area, and a French name for the post-contact community we know today as Sault Ste. Marie;
Whereas over the course of 150+ years since confederation, Sault Ste. Marie has developed into the commercial centre of the Algoma District, which proudly boasts a French population of roughly 10%, and Sault Ste. Marie welcomes and encourages its district neighbours to travel to and visit Sault Ste. Marie; and
Whereas the Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s relationship toward its Francophone residents has not always been respectful and productive; and
Whereas Council of the City of Sault Ste. Marie passed a resolution, commonly referred to as the “English-only” resolution in 1990 which fractured relations between the municipality and the Francophone community; and
Whereas in June 1994 the Ontario Court, General Division, struck down the 1990 Council resolution and declared it ultra vires the municipality’s authority; and
Whereas in January 2010, Mayor John Rowswell apologized to all Francophones in Canada on behalf of the municipality for the 1990 resolution; and
Whereas it is Council’s desire to improve the relationship between the Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie and its Francophone residents;
Now Therefore Be It Resolved that the Chief Administrative Officer ensure, through scheduling of existing employees, or filling vacancies that arise for resident-facing staff, that there is the ability for Francophone residents to navigate municipal services in French on a go-forward basis.
Further Be It Resolved that the English version, above, and the French version, of this resolution are equally authoritative.
Résolution À Propos des Services en Français
Proposée par: Luke Dufour
Appuyée par: Lisa Vezeau-Allen
Considérant que dès le premier contact des Européens avec les habitants autochtones de la région, l’histoire de Sault Ste. Marie fut étroitement liée à la culture et à la langue française; et
Considérant qu’Étienne Brûlé, qu’on estime être le premier colon à mettre le pied à Bawating en 1622, il y a 402 ans, et qu’ en 1632 il a identifié cette région sur la carte de Samuel de Champlain en tant que le « Sault », de sorte que Sault Ste. Marie a la distinction d’être la plus ancienne communauté de l’Ontario; et
Considérant qu’Étienne Brûlé a revendiqué la région de Bawating pour la France, en la nommant « Sault de Gaston », du nom du frère du roi de France de l’époque, Louis XIII ; et
Considérant que le Père Jacques Marquette, un prêtre jésuite, a établi en 1689 la première mission permanente de colons et a adopté le nom de Sault de Sainte Marie pour désigner cette colonie, débarrassant ainsi la région de son lien avec le frère du roi, honorant plutôt la Vierge Marie, tout en conservant le nom du « Sault », qui signifie « rapides » en français traditionnel; et
Considérant que depuis 1622, il y a eu une présence française dans la région et qu’un nom français a été attribué à cette communauté dès le premier contact avec les autochtones, dont nous l’appelons encore aujourd’hui « Sault Ste. Marie »;
Considérant qu’au cours de 150 ans et plus depuis la Confédération, la ville de Sault Ste. Marie est devenue le centre commercial du district d’Algoma. Fière de compter une population francophone d’environ 10 %, Sault Ste. Marie accueille et encourage ses voisins du district à se rendre à Sault- Sainte-Marie pour la découvrir; et.
Considérant que les relations entre la Corporation de la Ville de Sault Ste. Marie et ses résidents francophones n’ont pas toujours été respectueuses et productives; et
Considérant que le Conseil municipal de la Ville de Sault Ste. Marie a adopté en 1990 une résolution, communément appelée la résolution « unilingue anglaise », qui a rompu les relations entre la municipalité et la commuénauté francophone; et
Considérant qu’en juin 1994, la Cour de l’Ontario, Division générale, a annulé la résolution du Conseil municipal de 1990 et a déclaré l’autorité de la municipalité ultra vires; et
Considérant qu’en janvier 2010, le maire John Rowswell s’est excusé auprès de tous les francophones du Canada au nom de la municipalité de Sault Ste. Marie pour la résolution de 1990; et
Considérant que le Conseil souhaite améliorer les relations entre la Corporation de la Ville de Sault Ste. Marie et ses résidents francophones;
Il Est Donc Résolu Que Chef de l’administration s’assure, en établissant les horaires des employés actuels ou en pourvoyant les postes vacants au sein du personnel en contact avec les résidents, que les résidents francophones puissent naviguer les services municipaux en français, de manière continue;
IL Est Aussi Résolue Que la version française et la version anglaise de la présente résolution ont également force de loi.
Recognition of the change
After viewing the Paikin interview I wrote to the Mayor to congratulate him and his Council for the stand they took. In my email I said:
I heartily congratulate you and Council for the wonderful motion passed and the commitment made to provide services in the French-language. I was Ontario’s Minister of Francophone Services in 1990 and went to the Sault to meet with Council to try and dissuade them from passing the ‘English only’ resolution. Sadly, Council then voted overwhelmingly to pass it. I appreciated that at the time because of the debate in the country over the Meech Lake Accord emotions were raised regarding the place of the English and French languages. Nonetheless, the Sault motion was hurtful not only to the Francophones in the city but also in our province and across the country.
Your initiative and support from Council are a ray of hope that our official languages do not have to be divisive. We can find a way to live in peace and harmony and support one another.
In his response Mayor Shoemaker wrote:
Mr. Beer, thank you so much for the kind email. I agree with you wholeheartedly, the English only resolution was a blight on our city and anyone who tried to dissuade council from implementing it deserves great credit, so thank you for your work in that regard.
The majority anglophone community had long since moved past the issue in the Soo, but the French community has been so appreciative, which is what I had hoped for. The support from outside the community, including those who had a direct role in the issue in 1990 (like yourself and Premier Peterson) has been an unexpected – but pleasant – surprise.
While the harm done in 1990 cannot be totally undone, the action by Mayor Shoemaker and his Council brought forth a very positive response from residents in the Sault St. Marie community. Actions speak loudly, even decades later.
