Madam Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize and celebrate an extraordinary man who was a father, a husband, a journalist, an innovator, a man of justice, an activist and a strong advocate for French in Ontario.
Philippe Landry left his mark on French Ontario. Franco-Ontarians have access to justice in French today thanks in large part to Philippe Landry and his involvement in the civil disobedience movement known as C'est l'temps! He once spent two days in jail because he refused to accept a ticket that was written only in English.
His passion for sharing stories about the Franco-Ontarian community did not disappear once he finished his career in journalism. He created a Facebook group called Fier d'être Franco-Ontarien // Fière d'être Franco-Ontarienne, which has more than 12,000 members, to promote, share and encourage discussion within our community.
Even though his death has left a hole in our community, Philippe Landry's love and passion for defending the French language will be felt for generations to come.
I offer my sincere condolences to his daughter, Geneviève, and his family.