Toponymie | Canton de Potton | Place Names

In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow, the messenger of the pre-Olympian gods.  For the coastal-dwelling Greeks, the rainbow's arc was most often seen spanning the distance between cloud and sea, and so the goddess was believed to replenish the rain-clouds with water from the sea.  Her name contains a double meaning, being connected both with iris, "the rainbow," and eiris, "the messenger".

The Northen Blue Flag iris (Iris versicolor) of the Iridaceae family is a perennial plant growing wild in the wetlands of Quebec.  It flowers in spring, and gives a spectacular display of deep violet flowers tinged with yellow, green and white, almost rainbow like in the range of hues.  Its mashed roots were used as a primitive antiseptic, and infusions of the dried roots were also used to relieve pain.^[1]

Another iris growing in the wild in Quebec is the yellow iris (Iris pseudacorum).  It also proliferates in Europe, notably along the Rivière de la Lys in Belgium.  The fleur de lys commonly used as an insignia of Quebec is a vernacular contraction of fleur de la Lys.  The Iris setosa, or Artic iris, also grows in Quebec.  Its habitat, however, is limited to the gulf and shores of the St. Lawrence River.

The blue flag iris (Iris versicolor Linné) was selected as the floral emblem of Québec on October 28, 1999, replacing the white lily, commonly called the Madonna lily (Lilium candidum).  The heraldic fleur-de-lis on the Québec flag was long considered the floral emblem of Québec.^[2]

This may be the appropriate place to give a little history of our Quebec flag – distinctive amongst the provincial flags of Canada, its design a reflection of a proud French history in North America.  Our flag, called the Fleurdelisé, was the first to be officially adopted in Canada, on January  21, 1948.  The direct predecessor of the modern Fleurdelisé was created by Elphège Filiatrault, a parish priest in Saint-Jude, Quebec.  Called the Carillon, it resembled the modern flag except that the fleurs-de-lis were at the corners pointing inwards^[3]. 

Quebec's motto “Je me souviens” (“I remember”) is attributed to Eugène-Étienne Taché (1836-1912).  He decorated the faà§ade of the Parliament Buildings with depictions of various figures in Quebec history:  Amerindians, explorers, missionaries, soldiers and public administrators from the French and English regimes.  The motto above the main door summarizes the architect's intentions: I remember (…) all that this faà§ade recalls.^[4]