In its economic statement delivered on Thursday, November 15, 2018, the Progressive Conservative government of Doug Ford cancelled the funding and the operations of the Université de l’Ontario français in Toronto. Citing financial difficulties, the provincial government also abolished the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner, transferring its responsibilities to the Office of the Ombudsman. This “Black Thursday” triggered a new episode of resistance within the Franco-Ontarian community. In response to a call from the Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario (AFO), demonstrations were organized across the province on December 1, 2018. They were the largest Franco-Ontarian protests since the SOS Montfort campaign in 1997.

The Manifeste franco-ontarien was a product of the digital age. Its authors emphasized that it was a collective work, “inspired by words, poems, text messages, and comments taken from the web.” William Burton, a member of the group that drafted it, explained that the “cri du cœur” (cry from the heart) reflected the “dismay of Franco-Ontarians at always having to fight for their rights” (Radio-Canada, March 20, 2019).

Public reading of the manifesto became a mobilization tool aimed at increasing pressure on the Ontario government. As part of Mois de la Francophonie (the month of the year dedicated to francophones) in March 2019, AFO organized an awareness tour. The tour included stops in Toronto, Hamilton, Barrie, North Bay, Sudbury, Hawkesbury, and Ottawa. A bilingual version of the Manifesto was prepared for the occasion.

The mobilization precipitated a wave of solidarity among French-speaking communities across Canada. In the weeks following the announcement of the cuts, the Franco-Ontarian flag was raised at the National Assembly in Quebec City. Quebec Members of the Quebec National Assembly adopted a motion denouncing a “new attack on the rights of a francophone minority community in Canada” (Journal des débats, November 30, 2018).

The movement was successful. In fall 2019, with the help of the federal government, an agreement was reached to fund the Université de l’Ontario français. The institution opened in November 2021.