Desjardins Group has offered its “most sincere apologies” after some locations displayed a poster marking National Patriot’s Day with a Canadian flag.
In a message published Monday evening on its Facebook page, Desjardins apologized to “all those who were offended by the poster.”
“In addition to the measures taken over the weekend, we can confirm that further meetings will be held to ensure that this unacceptable situation does not happen again,” the institution said.
Desjardins received criticism online over the weekend when people complained about the poster, which was used in certain locations to inform customers that their branch would be closed on Monday for the holiday.
The poster showed a man carrying a Canadian flag on his back.
Quebec Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe called the image “inappropriate.”
“It shows a lack of understanding of the significance of National Patriots’ Day,” he wrote on X on Saturday.
Prior to Desjardins’ apology, Parti Québécois (PQ) leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon accused the financial institution of being nonchalant and not taking the situation seriously.
He called on management to take action.
Desjardins Group reiterated on Monday evening that the situation was the result of an initiative taken by certain caisses without its approval.
“As early as Saturday morning, we asked all the caisses to check whether they had used this unauthorized poster, and if so, to remove it,” Desjardins said.