Vasco Cordeiro believes in the strength and will to win of the Azorean community in Canada
On Friday, the President of the Government participated in a meeting with the community residing in Ontario. It was an opportunity for Vasco Cordeiro to convey his confidence in the commitment demonstrated by the Prime Ministers of Portugal and Canada to help the Azorean community in this country facing challenges.
"We know that our community has challenges to overcome. If there are men capable of solving these challenges, it will be the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau," said Vasco Cordeiro.
According to the President of the Government, this belief stems from the recently established contacts with Prime Minister Trudeau in the context of António Costa's official visit to Canada.
"On the part of Prime Minister António Costa, there is all the attention and care with the Portuguese community in Canada as evidenced by this visit," stressed Vasco Cordeiro. In this context, he highlighted the "example of strength, determination and the will to win from those who came to Canada 65 years ago."
"Today, this way of facing the future and carrying forward the testimony of the Azorean presence in Canada is also the mission of the Azorean community. This mission is accomplished in a very simple way: the better Canadians they are, the better Portuguese they will be, "said Vasco Cordeiro.
The President of the Government is participating in this visit at the invitation of António Costa. Vasco Cordeiro spoke during a gathering with the community of Ontario, which was held after a meeting with local entrepreneurs at LiUNA - Labourers International Union of North America, a union linked to construction among several areas that has nearly 100 thousand members in Canada.
This meeting was the last item on the agenda for the third day of the official visit, which began with the exchange of greetings with the Prime Minister of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne. It also included the closing session of the Business Meeting organised by Business Development Agency (AICEP) and the Economic Club of Canada.
The Portuguese migratory flow to Canada was largely made up of emigrants from the Azores, who took to this country - especially to Toronto and Montreal - the traditional cultural practices of the archipelago.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the arrival of the first group of Azorean immigrants in Canada, who disembarked from the ship "Saturnia" in Halifax on May 13, 1953.
It is estimated that about half a million Portuguese and Portuguese descendants live in Canada, namely in the province of Ontario; about 70% are Azoreans or of Azorean descent.