Vanier elementary school renamed after Mauril Blanger

The local French public school board has renamed one of its elementary schools after Mauril Blanger, the longtime OttawaVanierMP who died in 2016 after a battle with ALS also known asLou Gehrig's Disease.

cole lmentaire publique Le Trillium was officially rechristenedl'cole lmentaire publique Mauril Blangeron Thursday, theConseil des coles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (CEPEO) said in a press release.

• 'We are all the poorer for his passing': Longtime MP Mauril Blanger dies of ALS at 61

The Montgomery Street school is in the city's Vanier neighbourhood, which Blanger represented at the federal level for 21 years after first winning aby-election for the Liberals in 1995.

"Mr. Blanger devoted his life to the Francophonie in Ontario. He was always an inspiration for us and for our students. His legacy will survive him," CEPEOdirector of education dith Dumont said in a French-languagestatement.

Outspoken advocate

Blanger was an outspoken advocate for the rights of French-Canadians during his time as an MP, successfully fighting to keep Ottawa's Montfort Hospital open in 1997 when the provincial Progressive Conservatives decided to close the French-language facility'sdoors.

He began having problemsspeaking during the 2015 election campaign, and his condition quickly deteriorated. One of his finalacts was to successfully get hisprivate member's bill tomake the national anthem more gender neutral passed in the House of Commons.

The renaming of Le Trillium after Blanger comes as the school marks its 30th anniversary.