Celebrating Canada’s many heritages

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/06/2021 (721 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Over the years I have often talked about how Canada’s diversity is what gives us our strength and recognition from around the world as a strong, healthy, modern nation.

Canada is often listed as the best country in the world to call home as we welcome hundreds of thousands of people every year.

Our heritage is enriched and continues to grow as it recognizes and adopts the contributions to our social, economic, political, and cultural life of Canadians who arrive here from all over the world.

A number of Canadian ethnic communities celebrate their heritage in the month of June, and the month has been so designated by Parliament for many of them.

On the morning of June 1 I highlighted one of those communities. Winnipeg’s North End is the heart of Canada’s Filipino heritage community so I was at the corner of Keewatin Street and Adsum Drive, below a Dr. Jose Rizal statue and only a couple of blocks from Dr. Jose Rizal Park, and did a Facebook promotion of the community.

Canada has approximately one million people of Filipino heritage and it is one of the fastest growing communities in the country, enriching our national fabric and playing a pivotal role in strengthening the close bonds between our two countries.

Filipino Heritage Month provides all Canadians an opportunity to learn about and celebrate the rich heritage and histories of the Filipino-Canadian community. It also gives us an opportunity to reflect on the roles and contributions of Filipino-Canadians across all provinces and territories, including the work of those who are health-care and essential workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canadians also celebrate National Indigenous History Month in June to honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. National Indigenous History Month is a time for learning about, appreciating and acknowledging the contributions First Nations, Inuit and Métis people have made in shaping Canada.

We should recognize the importance and sacred nature of cultural ceremonies and celebrations that often occur during this time.

June is also Italian month. Did you know that Canada is home to more than 1.5 million Canadians of Italian descent, which makes it home to one of the largest Italian diasporas in the world? Italian Heritage Month is the perfect time to recognize and showcase the rich culture and heritage of Italian Canadians, as well as their ongoing contributions to building a stronger, vibrant and more inclusive Canada.

During Folklorama you can visit two Portuguese pavilions in August but June is also Portuguese Heritage Month. Canada is home to one of the largest Portuguese diasporas in the world. This community hails from many different Portuguese regions and they have kept their individual traditions, languages, and cultures alive.

There will be critics out there saying we are living in Canada and we should just be Canadians but I value our diversity — it’s what makes us who we are today, which I believe is the best country in the world to call home.