Portuguese Canadians

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Portuguese-Canadians[1]
Total population

357,690 (2001), 1.2% of Canada's population
Regions with significant populations

Toronto, Ontario:  171,545


Montreal, Quebec:  41,050
Mississauga, Ontario:  31,795
Kitchener, Ontario:  17,220
Hamilton, Ontario:  14,110
London, Ontario:  10,525
Winnipeg, Manitoba:  10,315
Ottawa, Ontario:  9,910
Edmonton, Alberta:  7,760
Languages
Predominantly English and Portuguese and/or its dialects.
Religions
Predominantly Roman Catholic

Portuguese Canadians are Canadians of Portuguese descent. According to StatCan, in 2001, there were 357,690 persons of Portuguese descent living in Canada, or 1.2% of the nation's total population. Most Portuguese Canadians live in Ontario 248,265 (69%), followed by Québec 48,765 (14%) and British Columbia 30,085 (8%)[2]


Contents

[edit] History of Portuguese in Canada

The Portuguese Canadian community chose 2003 as the year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their officially-sponsored immigration to Canada. The Honourable David Collenette, Minister of Transport and Minister Responsible for Canada Post, said that "the Portuguese Canadian community is a vibrant group that enriches the Canadian mosaic with its history, language, culture and work ethic." He added that Canada Post was proud to be issuing a stamp honouring Portuguese Canadians during the month of June when cultural celebrations honouring the life of 16th century poet Luís de Camões, considered to be Portugal's greatest poet, are taking place in many communities across the country.

Portugal played a pioneering role in the explorations of the New World in the 15th and 16th centuries. In the 15th century, Prince Henry of Portugal, better known as Henry the Navigator, established a school of navigation in Sagres, in the Algarve region of Portugal. From this school emerged explorers who found their way to the Indies, South America, North America and Africa, including Gaspar Corte Real who was one of the earliest discoverers of Canada. Corte Real explored the northeast coast of "Terra Nova", naming Conception Bay, Portugal Cove and Labrador -- which means "labourer" in Portuguese.

During the 1950s, a large number of immigrants from the Azores, fleeing political conflict with the regime of António de Oliveira Salazar, moved into the downtown core of Canada’s major cities such as the area of Portugal Village in Toronto, Ontario and further west along Dundas Street to Brockton Village. The stretch of Dundas St. passing through Brockton Village is also known as "Rua Açores". From the 1970's, increasing numbers of Brazilians moved into the same area.

Hamilton, Ontario also has a solid Portuguese community concentrated in the downtown core around Barton and James streets and nearby the St. Mary's Roman Catholic church. This area in Hamilton is known as "Jamesville" and is shared with a neighbouring Italian population.

Many second generation Portuguese-Canadians have moved out of Toronto to suburbs such as Brampton, Mississauga, Oakville, Kitchener, Cambridge and Hamilton and Laval outside of Montreal. This spatial and social move, aided by Portuguese-Canadian real estate agents who settle them into suburban communities with large concentrations of other Portuguese, indicates the gradual economic security and comfort with which Portuguese-Canadians address their every day lives in Canada. With this move to the suburbs, there has also emerged an increase in Portuguese students pursuing university training for employment beyond the construction site or the factory floor to professions and small businesses.

[edit] Notable Portuguese Canadians

[edit] Artists

[edit] Business

[edit] Education

  • Aida Baptista - Lecturer, Instituto Camoes, University of Toronto.[3]
  • Irene Maria Ferreira Blayer - Ph. D. Professor, Brock University (Azorean Ancestry).[3]
  • John Elias - Professor and GE Coordinator Humber College, Ontario.[3]
  • Ilda Januario - Secretary, OISE, M. Sc. Anthropology, U of T, McGill (Montreal & Toronto).[3]
  • Manuela Marujo - Ph. D. Senior Lectuter at the University of Toronto, Department of Spanish & Portuguese.[3]
  • Fernando Nunes - Ph. D. Assist. Professor Mount Sinai University Halifax, Nova Scotia.[3]
  • Victor Pinheiro - Professor U. Montreal, Architecture and Design.[3]
  • Victor M.P. da Rosa - Ph. D. Sociologist & Professor, University of Ottawa.[3]
  • Ana Maria Silva - Bachelor in fine arts a M.Ed.in education Université de Montreal, Concordia. [3]
  • Prof. Elvino Sousa - Ph. D. Electrical & Computer Engineering University of Toronto.[3]
  • John Sousa - Professor of Psychology Humber College, Ontario.[3]
  • José Carlos Teixeira - Ph. D., Assistant Professor, Okanagan University College, UBC..[3]
  • Joaquim Vicente - Ph. D. Professor University of Toronto, Mechanical Engineering. Inventor.[3]

[edit] Film & Television

  • Justin Louis - Actor (sometimes credited as 'Justin Lewis'), appeared on 9 different TV series to date.[4]
  • Keanu Reeves, (1964- ), best known for his role as Neo in the action film trilogy The Matrix. (paternal grandmother was Portuguese-Chinese from Hawaii; Rose Lokalia Miguel).[5]
  • Sid Seixeiro - News TV Anchor for The Score Television Network.[3]

[edit] Music

Singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado.
Singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado.

[edit] Politicians/ Law

  • Evalina Cordeiro-McEachern - City Council, Aurora, Ontario (Born in Toronto of Azorean parents).[3]
  • Carlos de Faria- MPP Member of Provincial Parliament Mississauga East, Citizenship.[3]
  • Paul Ferreira, (1973- ), is a Canadian political activist.[12]
  • Peter Fonseca, (1966- ), member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament (2003).[13]
  • Keith Martin, (1960- ), PC, MP, BSc, MD, is a Canadian physician and politician.[3]
  • Martinho Medeiros MA - Political Analyst, Ontario Gov. (MP 2004) (Portuguese Ancestry, Azores).[3]
  • Luis Miranda - First Elected Mayor of Portuguese Ancestry in Canada for the City of Anjou, Quebec.[3]
  • Cesar de Morais - Supreme Court Judge Whitby, Ontario [3]
  • Ana Nunes - Council Outremont, Montreal, Quebec.[3]
  • Nelson Santos - Mayor, Kingsville, Ontario "Canada's Southernmost Town"[3]
  • Mario Silva, (1966- ), Liberal MP Davenport 2004+ and former Toronto city councillor[14]
  • Maria Teresa Linhares de Sousa - Judge Superior Court of Justice, Ontario.[3]

[edit] Science/ Medicine

  • Dr. Horacio Arruda - Chief Medical Officer of Health for Québec (Parents born in Azores).[3]

[edit] Sports

[edit] Groups

Some Portuguese-Canadians adopt the name Luso-Canadians for their local social and business clubs in reference to Lusitania, the ancient name associated with Portugal under the Roman empire. The attendance growth of organizations indicate the growth in small business and universities throughout the community. Leading as a national voice one can find the "Congresso" Luso-Canadiano National Congress.

[edit] Portuguese-Canadian business groups

[edit] Portuguese-Canadian Educational groups

[edit] Other groups

[edit] Portuguese Publications

  • Lusitania - Canada's monthly celebrating the Portuguese world.
  • Portugal News - News from Portugal, in English and Portuguese.
  • Voz Lusitana - Portuguese/English monthly newspaper.

[edit] See Also


List of Portuguese Americans
List of Portuguese people
Luso American


[edit] References

  1. ^ Population by selected ethnic origins, by census metropolitan areas. 2001 Census Stats Canada. Retrieved on December 23, 2006.
  2. ^ Population figures for people of Portuguese descent in Canada. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Distinguished Americans & Canadians of Portuguese Descent. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  4. ^ imdb.com Bio: Justin Louis. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  5. ^ Keanu Reeves Family Tree; Ancestry. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  6. ^ Interview with Keshia Chanté. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  7. ^ Henley, Tara. Interview with Keshia Chanté #2. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  8. ^ Biography: Suzana Da Camara (Official web site). Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  9. ^ Maplemusic.com Biography: Shawn Desman. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  10. ^ Bliss, Karen. Rollingstone.com Biography: Nelly Furtado. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  11. ^ Biography: Anthony Gomes (Official web site). Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  12. ^ Biography: Paul Ferreira. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  13. ^ Biography: Peter Fonseca. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  14. ^ Biography: Mario Silva. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
  15. ^ Daniel Marcio Fernandes Bio at myspace.com. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.

[edit] External Links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../p/o/r/Portuguese_Canadians_73e0.html"