Franco-Ontarians can finally have their proper spelling on health cards

It’s a big victory for Franco-Ontarians Wednesday, as the province is now finally offering French accents on health cards.

“It took five years,” said France Gélinas, MPP for Nickel Belt, who has petitioned for this change.

“Five years… I received petitions from every corner of Ontario, hundreds and thousand and thousands of petitions from little villages I didn’t even know existed in Ontario. I am now happy to know them and have them as my friends of people who wanted their names spelled correctly on their drivers licence and their health card and finally today it is a reality.”

The announcement comes nearly two years after Ontario added French language characters to drivers licences.

“When I first started a petition, first I went to the minister and asked them to change this. Every other provinces and territories have the French accent on their health cards, how could it be that Ontario did not? But we did not,” said Gélinas.

“As you know, my last name has an accent aigu, my last name has an accent in it. My last name is not Gelinas… my name is Gélinas and for hundreds of thousands of Franco-Ontarians, they are in the same situation.”

Officials say it’s a way to support Ontario’s Francophone community.

In a media release, Kaleed Rasheed, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, said, “We are making life easier for Ontarians by delivering simpler, faster, and more inclusive services. Ontario’s Francophone community can now conveniently access vital documents that reflect their unique identity through Service Ontario centres across our province.”

Ontario’s Francophone community can request a free updated health card by visiting any Service Ontario location.