Our Story
As a double minority (racial & linguistic), the needs of Black Francophones are often neglected. Besides racism, Black Francophones in Ontario are facing challenges from mainstream Francophone institutions as well as language discrimination in a predominantly Anglophone society.
Founded in April 2021, FrancoNoir.e is a Black employee group in the Ontario Public Service (OPS) dedicated to addressing the challenges and employment barriers facing Black communities in the OPS, while advocating for a more inclusive and tolerant Francophone community within a more equitable Ontario.
FrancoNoir.e, which means Black Francophone, is gender-neutral and refers to any Black individuals identified as Francophones based on the Government of Ontario's "Inclusive Definition of Francophones (IDF)."
Our Mission
Our main mission is to build a more vibrant, inclusive Francophone community within the Ontario Public Service (OPS), helping create a more equitable Ontario for generations to come. We aim to continue doing this by:
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Building a stronger, more inclusive, and supportive Black Francophone community in the OPS and Ontario
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Creating and supporting pathways to diversify the OPS to reflect better the community it serves and to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the Black population
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Promoting the French language through the lens of bilingualism, thereby fostering and advancing linguistic duality
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Celebrating and promoting Black Francophone culture, achievements, and diversity.
Our Objectives
Our main focuses include:
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Creating and maintaining a safe platform where everyone can work together to advance social, educational, linguistic, and cultural cooperation
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Contributing to the progress already made towards a more equitable and representative OPS and, as a result, a more equitable Ontario.
Colt Saint Baptiste
Founder & President
Carolyn Palmer Linton
Director of Communications
Marlye Monfiston
Special Advisor
Boniface Guetchom
Special Advisor
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Shadiyah Stoute
Social Media Coordinator
Raphaëlle Mathieu-Bédard
French-language Training Assistant Director
Moussa Baccus
Special Advisor
Meet the Executive Team
Meet the Advisory Board
Yolande Davidson
Advisory Board Member
Director, Equity and Human Rights
City of Toronto
Peter Hinton
Advisory Board Member
Manager, Recordkeeping Strategies
Ministry of Public & Business Service
Delivery (MPBSD)
Salimatou Sow
Advisory Board Member
Manager, French Language Services (FLS)
Economics and Central Agencies Cluster, Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS)
Barbara Duckitt
Co-chair - Advisory Board Member
Assistant Deputy Minister
Minister of Public & Business Service
Delivery (MPBSD)
Helga Iliadis
Advisory Board Member
Retired Assistant Deputy Minister
Service Ontario, Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery (MPBSD)
Rosa DeFrias
Advisory Board Member
Director, Central Retail Offices Branch
Service Ontario, Ministry of Public and Service Delivery (MPBSD)
Nadia Simpson
Advisory Board Member
Manager, Digital Learning and Enterprise
Delivery Unit
Ministry of Public and Business Service
Delivery (MPBSD)
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Angela Adediran
Advisory Board Member
Project Manager, Children with Special Needs
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS)