The Secret Order

What if one of your loved ones was a member of a powerful secret society?

Founded in 1926 to defend the interests of French Canadians, the Ordre de Jacques-Cartier had more than 72,000 members. Over nearly 40 years, this secret society infiltrated the machinery of the state and the private sector, as well as associations and media.

Having learned that his father was a commander in the Order, filmmaker Phil Comeau launches a fascinating investigation into the group, raising the curtain on the shadowy men who belonged to the Order and the causes for which they fought.

In The Secret Order, former members of the organization step out of the shadows for the first time, witnesses tell their stories and experts offer context and explanation. We also get to see an initiation ceremony, brought to life by captivating reconstructed sequences.

By retracing his own father’s secret journey, Phil Comeau shines a spotlight on the Ordre de Jacques-Cartier and paints a gripping portrait of the social and political struggles faced by Canadian francophone-minority communities during the 20th century.