Franco-Albertains (Alberta, Canada)

Last modified: 2013-06-29 by rob raeside
Keywords: franco-albertains | canada | fleur de lis | prickly rose |
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image by Jan Oskar Engene, 15 August 1996

See also:

• Alberta
• Flags of the French Communities (Canada)

Adopted: 6 March 1982
Designer: Unknown
Proportions: Unknown (1:2?)

The 62.605 (1991) Franco-Albertains have a flag that is blue near the hoist, white in the fly and with narrow stripes of white and blue set diagonally from lower hoist to upper fly. A white fleur de lis is set in the upper hoist, and a wild rose in red and white in the lower fly.

The blue colour is the main colour of the flag of Alberta, and represents the home province of the community. White is for the French speaking population itself, and also commemorates the mainly white flags of the first French in America. The narrow middle stripes are symbols of the rivers and trails used by the first settlers, missionaries and explorers. The fleur the lis is another emblem of "Frenchness," while the wild rose (or prickly rose) is the official floral emblem of Alberta (adopted 1930). The three colours blue, white and red are the colours of the French and Acadian flags.

Sources:

• Kevin Harrington: 'The Flags of the Francophonie in Canada', Flag Bulletin, No. 147, 1992, pp.139-152.
  
• Symbols of Nationhood, Minister of Supply and Services, Ottawa, 1991