Madam Speaker, I rise in the House today to pay tribute to Tony De Sousa, a beloved member of the Portuguese community. Tony tragically passed away from cancer on May 26 at the age of 63.
An entrepreneur, born in Lourinha, Portugal, he made Canada his home in 1970. Throughout his life, he remained deeply connected to his roots and was dedicated to the continued success of the Portuguese community in Canada.
As president of the Portuguese Cultural Centre of Mississauga for six years, Tony was a leader who worked tirelessly to keep Portuguese traditions, culture and language alive. He was particularly committed to engaging youth and fostering the love of Portuguese music, dance and culture in the next generations.
One of the local Portuguese newspapers said that he died too young, with too much fado left to listen to, too much music to dance to, and many traditions and cultures still left to live. He will always be fondly remembered, and his contributions will be honoured and never forgotten.
I send our deepest condolences to his wife, Luisa, as well as to his daughter and son-in-law, Michelle and Bruno, and his granddaughter, Jessica.