Mr. Speaker, today, as Portugal honours its greatest poet, Luís de Camões, it is a privilege for me to honour the Luso Canadian community as we celebrate Portugal Day.
Canada provided a home for many early immigrants from Portugal who left behind decades of fascist rule. They came with next to nothing, but their pockets were full with the desire to contribute and to succeed, not just for their own families and for their own community, but for Canada as a whole. Because of their experience, they wanted to help build a Canada that was fair for all, where everyone had access to opportunity, to health care, and to education.
Today, that very same community's contribution to our cultural, commercial, and social life is one of Canada's great success stories. Portugal Day provides us with an opportunity to reflect not only on those accomplishments, but on who we are as Canadians, and the Luso Canadian community's vital role in shaping the Canadian identity.
I invite my colleagues and Canadians from coast to coast to coast to celebrate and congratulate the Portuguese Canadian community. We wish Portugal good luck in the World Cup.
Viva Portugal. Viva Canadá.