Portuguese Canadians

Portuguese Canadian

Notable Portuguese Canadians: Nelly Furtado • Mário Silva • Brian Melo
Total population
Portuguese 357,690 Canadians Roughly 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 Cambridge, Ontario:  10,685 London, Ontario:  10,525 Winnipeg, Manitoba:  10,315 Ottawa, Ontario:  9,910 Edmonton, Alberta:  7,760 [1]
Languages
Predominantly English, French(in Quebec) and Portuguese and/or its dialects.
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic

Portuguese Canadians (Portuguese: luso-canadianos) 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 1 History of Portuguese in Canada 2 Notable Portuguese Canadians 2.1 Historical 2.2 Business 2.3 Education 2.4 Film and television 2.5 Literature 2.6 Music 2.7 Philanthropy 2.8 Politicians/ Law 2.9 Science/Medicine 2.10 Sports 2.11 Miscellaneous 3 Groups 3.1 Portuguese-Canadian business groups 3.2 Portuguese-Canadian Educational groups 3.3 Other groups 4 Portuguese Publications 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

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 "farmer" 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 Street passing through Brockton Village is also known as "Rua Açores". From the 1970s, 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 Street 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, Quebec 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.

Notable Portuguese Canadians

Historical

• Pedro da Silva - First post courier in New France.^[3]

Business

• Alain J. P. Belda - Chairman of the Board and C.E.O. of Alcoa since January 2001.^[4]

Education

• Aida Baptista - Lecturer at the Instituto Camões in the University of Toronto.^[4]
• José Baptista (Ph.D.) - Professor and Researcher at the University of Toronto and University of the Azores^[5]
• Irene Maria Ferreira Blayer (Ph.D.) - Professor at Brock University (Azorean Ancestry).^[4]
• John Elias - Associate Dean of Humber College.^[4]
• Ilda Januario - Secretary, OISE, M. Sc. Anthropology at the University of Toronto and McGill University.^[4]
• Manuela Marujo (Ph.D.) - Senior Lecturer at the University of Toronto in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.^[4]
• Fernando Nunes (Ph.D.) - Assistant Professor at Mount St. Vincent University.^[4]
• Victor Pinheiro - Professor at the Université de Montréal in Architecture and Design.^[4]
• Victor M. P. da Rosa (Ph.D.) - Sociologist and Professor at the University of Ottawa.^[4]
• Ana Maria Silva - Bachelor in fine arts and M.Ed. in education Université de Montréal and Concordia University.^[4]
• Elvino Sousa (Ph.D.) - Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor at the University of Toronto.^[4]
• John Sousa - Professor of Psychology at Humber College.^[4]
• José Carlos Teixeira (Ph.D.) - Assistant Professor at the Okanagan University College, UBC.^[4]
• Joaquim Vicente (Ph.D.) - Mechanical Engineering Professor at the University of Toronto. Inventor.^[4]

Film and television

• Justin Louis - Actor (sometimes credited as 'Justin Lewis') that has appeared on nine different TV series to date.^[6]
• Paulino Nunes - Actor in over 100 film, television, and theater credits; born in the Azores.^[7]
• Sid Seixeiro - News TV Anchor for The Score Television Network.^[4]
• Philip James Rodrigues - Animator for Canadian TV show Jimmy Two-Shoes.^[8]"url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3369510/". 

Literature

• Anthony de Sá - Novelist and short story writer.^[9]
• José Carlos Rodrigues - Historical Fiction for adults and fantasy for children, writer.^[10]

Music

• Keshia Chanté - Singer, songwriter, and actress.^[11][12]
• Suzana da Câmara - Jazz vocalist and composer.^[13]
• Shawn Desman (born Shawn Fernandes) - Pop/R&B singer and dancer; older brother of Danny Fernandes.^[14]
• Nelly Furtado - Singer, songwriter, and actress.^[15]
• Anthony Gomes - Canadian blues and blues-rock guitarist and singer.^[16]
• Brian Melo - Winner of Canadian Idol season five; worked as a construction worker.^[17][18][19]
• Lucas Silveira - Singer/guitarist of rock band The Cliks.
• Danny Fernandes - Pop/R&B singer and dancer; younger brother of Shawn Desman.

Philanthropy

• Ana Lopes - Chair of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's Board of Directors; Vice-chair of the CAMH Foundation's Board of Directors. ^{[20] [21]}

Politicians/ Law

• Evalina Cordeiro-McEachern - City Council of Aurora, Ontario; born in Toronto to Azorean parents.^[4]
• Carlos de Fária - Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Mississauga East region.^[4]
• Paul Ferreira - New Democratic Party Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for York-South Weston from February 2007 to October 2007.^[22]
• Peter Fonseca - Minister of Tourism of Ontario and member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament (2003).^[23]
• Keith Martin (PC, MP, BSc, MD) - Physician and politician.^[4]
• Martinho Medeiros (MA) - Political Analyst for the Government of Ontario (MP 2004); ancestry from the Azores.^[4]
• Luís Miranda - First elected Mayor of Portuguese ancestry in Canada for the City of Anjou, Quebec.^[4]
• César de Morais http://www.site.cesardemorais.ca/
• Ana Nunes - Council Outremont in Montreal.^[4]
• Nelson Santos - Mayor of Kingsville, Ontario.^[4]
• Mário Silva - current Liberal Member of Parliament representing the Davenport region in Toronto and former Toronto City Councilor.^[24]
• Maria Teresa Linhares de Sousa - Judge for the Superior Court of Justice in Ontario.^[4]
• Charles Sousa - Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario) for Mississauga South
• José Costa - First portuguese prosecutor for the City of Montreal, Quebec

Science/Medicine

• Dr. Horacio Arruda - Chief Medical Officer of Health for Quebec; parents born in the Azores.^[4]

Sports

• Daniel Fernandes - First-choice goalkeeper of German soccer club VfL Bochum.^[25]
• Mike Ribeiro - Professional ice hockey player for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).^[4]
• John Tavares - Professional ice hockey player drafted first overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders; has been interviewed by media from Portugal and speaks the language fluently (half Portuguese, half Polish).^[26]
• John Tavares - Professional lacrosse player for the Buffalo Bandits; uncle of John Tavares (ice hockey).^[26][27]
• Tony Tavares - former President of the Montreal Expos of the Canadian Football League (CFL).^[4]
• Steven Vitória - Professional soccer player from the Greater Toronto Area who currently plays in Portugal.^[4]
• * Eduardo Manuel Melo - Former professional boxer residing from Toronto; born in the Azores.
• Justin Azevedo - Professional ice hockey player in the Los Angeles Kings' hockey organization.
• Drew Doughty- Professional ice hockey player for the Los Angeles Kings; part Portuguese.

Miscellaneous

• Emanuel Jaques - Victim of a high-profile murder in Toronto.^[28]

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.

Portuguese-Canadian business groups

• Federation of Portuguese-Canadian Business and Professionals
• Association of Portuguese Businesses in Winnipeg
• Alliance Of Portuguese Clubs And Associations Of Ontario
• Alliance des Professionels et Entrepreneurs Portugais du Québec

Portuguese-Canadian Educational groups

• Portuguese Association of Ryerson, PAR
• York University Portuguese Association, YUPA
• University of Toronto Portuguese Association, UTPA *UTPA 2004 / UTPA 2005 - present

Other groups

• Congresso - Portuguese Canadian National Congress.
• Lusa Web - The meeting place for Portuguese-Americans/ Canadians.
• Viva Portugal Viva Portugal - Linking the Portuguese Communities in Canada, The US, and other countries outside of Portugal.
• pclaonline.com Portuguese Canadian Lawyers Association.
• Portuguese Social Club - The Portuguese Social Club is a Society established to Promote, Preserve, Maintain our Cultural Heritage and to Unite all Portuguese of Nova Scotia.
• Portuguese Benevolent Society - a non-profit organization created to promote harmony, education and culture in and about the Luso community.
• Canada's Portuguese Film & Video Festival - presented in multiple cities.
• JOVENSvancouver - youth group in Greater Vancouver.
• Arco Iris BC - a BGLTQ support and social group in B.C.
• Canadian Association of Bandas Filarmonicas - A musical tradition. The CABF works to unite the Portuguese marching bands of Canada.
• CDCJ Unidos - Sports and Culture Commission of Unidos in Gatineau - A Soccer and Culture tradition. The CDCJ Unidos works to unite the Portuguese youth in the Capital Region of Canada, promote portuguese culture in a Canadian context, and to excel in the portuguese national sport - Soccer.

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.

See also

• List of Portuguese people
• Luso American
  • List of Portuguese Americans
• Portuguese British
  • List of Portuguese Britons

References

External links

• Distinguished Americans & Canadians of Portuguese Descent

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