Madam Speaker, I am proud to support the motion by the hon. member for Toronto—Danforth to declare June 10 as Portugal day and the month of June as Portuguese heritage month. In doing so, I know I would have the support of many Portuguese Canadians in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler and throughout the Waterloo region. I know that members for Kitchener Centre, Cambridge, and Waterloo would fully support the motion as well.
I send my condolences to all those in Portugal affected by the fires this past summer. We can relate to them, given the fires that happened in British Columbia and Alberta. We know that many families and properties were affected in Portugal, and around 30 people were killed by those fires. Our condolences go out to all those family members who have been affected.
Canada has become home to many people of Portuguese heritage, with the Portuguese language ranked as Canada's 10th most common immigrant mother tongue in 2016. One of the first large waves of Portuguese migrants arrived in Canada in 1953. Since then, many people of Portuguese origin have come to Canada in search of greater opportunities for themselves and their families. Today, there are approximately 483,000 people of Portuguese birth or descent living in Canada, and a significant number of them live in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler. According to the 2016 census, Waterloo region is home to just over 21,000 people of Portuguese ethnic origin, with a little over 7,000 born in Portugal.
In Waterloo region, the Portuguese community is welcoming and vibrant. Whether I am celebrating Portugal day on Saturday morning at Escola Lusitana with students, teachers, and parents, or watching and celebrating the 2016 European championship final at the Kitchener Portuguese Club, I am always welcomed with open arms and walk away with a rich sense of community. I have been at the club on numerous occasions, whether for my close friends' engagements and weddings, or community fundraisers and festivals. I always enjoy the company of the members of this great community. I am proud that the Kitchener Portuguese Club is in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler, adding to our cultural mosaic since it was established in 1969. Part of the club's mission is to be a positive influence on the local community, and it does this very well. On its part, Cambridge is home to two Portuguese clubs serving our region.
Together, all of these institutions support Portuguese Canadians in preserving their cultural heritage and traditions, and sharing them with the community as a whole.
My support for the motion is of personal significance to me. I was privileged to grow up with many Portuguese Canadians in Kitchener. In fact, my very first job in high school was working at restaurant owned by a Portuguese Canadian. Before I started university, I worked for another Portuguese Canadian, an entrepreneur in the construction field. With great certainty I can say that both of these individuals helped lay the foundation for the person I am today. These two employers instilled in me their values of hard work, ambition, and dedication, the values that I stand for each and every day as I fulfill my duties as an MP.
Earlier this year during the second week of June, I spoke in the House about celebrating the day of Portugal, Camões, and the Portuguese communities. Every year on June 10, Portuguese Canadians across Canada celebrate what is popularly known as Dia of Portugal. The date marks the anniversary of the death of the greatest Portuguese poet who ever lived, Luis de Camões, who captured the essence Portugal, its history and its people. It is a day for the diaspora to celebrate their cultural heritage.
In Waterloo region, I have celebrated this day at the Portuguese school and in the annual Portugal day parade in Cambridge, alongside the members for Kitchener Centre, Cambridge, and Waterloo. This past June, woven into the day's celebrations at the Portuguese school was Canada's 150th anniversary since Confederation. It was a celebration of their cultural heritage and this country that is their home.
Portuguese Canadians have contributed greatly to fields such as politics, business, arts, science, and much more in Canada. This community has helped shape an exceptional Portuguese Canadian culture that is an integral component to the Canadian mosaic. This motion recognizes the important contributions of Portuguese Canadians in building Canada and to Canadian society in general. Motion No. 126 celebrates the cultural diversity of the Portuguese community in Canada, and the importance of education and reflection upon Portuguese heritage and culture for future generations.
I want to close with this. A lot of the Portuguese who have immigrated to Canada from Portugal immigrated a long time ago in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and many years beyond that. They came for better opportunities for their families and for themselves. With this, they came here and helped build the foundation of our communities and our cities that we live in today. For that, we want to thank and honour the Portuguese with this motion. I believe that this is a motion we can all get behind and support. We want to ensure that we honour the Portuguese who have contributed so much to the social fabric, to our communities, and to everyone around this nation.