The month of June is full of culture with the recognition of Italian, Filipino and Portuguese heritage.
Italian Heritage Month is a time to recognize the community’s contributions, as people of Italian descent have been in Canada since the 1880s.
Canada’s first Italian community numbered around 2,000 people at the end of the 19th century.
Today, with more than 1.5 million people of Italian heritage, Canada is home to one of the largest Italian migrations in the world.
For generations, people of Italian descent have enriched Canadian society with neighbourhoods like Little Italy in major cities making our country more diverse and open to the world.
On Oct. 7, 2010, the Ontario Legislature passed Bill 103 into law, officially declaring June as Italian Heritage Month in the province.
It is also important to acknowledge the historic injustices the Italian Canadian community faced during the Second World War.
In 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a formal apology in the House of Commons for the internment of hundreds of Italian Canadians.
Filipino Heritage Month is a time to recognize and highlight the invaluable contributions Canadians of Filipino heritage make every day.
On May 20, 2021, NDP MPP Doly Begum introduced a private member’s bill in the Ontario Legislature to proclaim June as Filipino Heritage Month.
The Filipino community in Canada is one of the fastest-growing populations, now representing nearly one million people.
Tragically, this year’s celebrations are overshadowed by the horrific attack at Vancouver’s Lapu-Lapu Festival on April 26, which claimed the lives of 11 people and injured many others.
This senseless act of violence has deeply affected not only the Filipino community, but all Canadians.
Driven by the value of "kabayanihan", or a sense of selflessness, Canadians of Filipino heritage continue to embody the perseverance, sacrifice and hard work that reflect core Canadian values.
As we honour the impact of the Filipino community, we also celebrate Philippine Independence Day on June 12, marking its 127th anniversary.
Portuguese Heritage Month highlights the past and ongoing contributions of Portuguese Canadians and offers an opportunity to learn more about their rich and vibrant culture.
Portuguese immigration to Canada began in the early 1950s, with most newcomers arriving from the Azores and Madeira in search of a better life.
More than 500 years after the first Portuguese explorers set foot in Canada, there are now nearly 500,000 people of Portuguese origin living here—one of the largest Portuguese migrations in the world.
Originally from many regions of Portugal, the community has worked to preserve its language, traditions and culture.
June 10 marks the National Day of Portugal, a time of great celebration honouring the life and legacy of poet Luís de Camões and his epic work, "The Lusiads".
From politics to the arts, and from sport to cuisine, Canadians of Portuguese heritage continue to enrich life in towns and cities across the country.
All this culture culminates on June 27 for Canadian Multiculturalism Day, when we honour the many cultural communities that help build a strong, inclusive and vibrant Canada.
Take this opportunity to celebrate the diversity that strengthens us all, and reaffirm your commitment to equity, inclusion and mutual respect.
**with information from the Government of Canada
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