Portuguese Canadians
Encyclopedia
Portuguese Canadians
are both Canadians born with Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
descent or citizenship or Portuguese born with Canadian descent or citizenship . According to StatCan, in 2006, there were 410,850 persons of Portuguese descent living in Canada, or 1.3% of the nation's total population. Most Portuguese Canadians live in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
282,865 (69%), followed by Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
57,445 (14%) and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
34,660 (8%).
History of Portuguese in Canada
The Portuguese Canadian community, chose 2003 as the year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their officially-sponsored immigrationImmigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
to Canada. The Honourable David Collenette
David Collenette
David Michael Collenette, PC was a Canadian politician from 1974 to 2004, and a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. A graduate from York University's Glendon College in 1969, he subsequently received his MA from in 2004...
, Minister of Transport
Minister of Transport (Canada)
The Minister of Transport is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's transportation regulatory and development department, Transport Canada...
and Minister Responsible for Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
, 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
Luís de Camões
Luís Vaz de Camões is considered Portugal's and the Portuguese language's greatest poet. His mastery of verse has been compared to that of Shakespeare, Vondel, Homer, Virgil and Dante. He wrote a considerable amount of lyrical poetry and drama but is best remembered for his epic work Os Lusíadas...
, 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
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
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
Sagres, Portugal
Sagres is a town located in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, Algarve, Portugal. It has a surface of 34,28 km² and a population of 1 939 . Sagres Point, historically connected to the Portuguese Age of Discovery, is located there....
, 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
Gaspar Corte-Real
Gaspar Corte-Real was a Portuguese explorer.He was the youngest of three sons of João Vaz Corte-Real, also a Portuguese explorer, and had accompanied his father on his expeditions to North America...
, who was one of the earliest discoverers of Canada. Corte-Real explored the northeast coast of "Terra Nova", naming Conception Bay
Conception Bay
Conception Bay is a Canadian bay located on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland. The bay indents the Avalon Peninsula with the opening of the bay to the Atlantic Ocean at the northeast. It is bounded by Cape St. Francis in the south and Split Point near Bay de Verde in the north...
, Portugal Cove, and Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
, named after Portuguese explorer João Fernandes Lavrador
João Fernandes Lavrador
João Fernandes Lavrador was a Portuguese explorer of the late 15th century. He was the first modern explorer in the coasts of the Northeast of Northern America, including the Labrador peninsula, which bears his name.-Expeditions:Fernandes was granted a patent by King Manuel I in 1498 given him...
.
During the 1950s, a large number of immigrants from the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, fleeing political conflict with the regime of António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar, GColIH, GCTE, GCSE served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He also served as acting President of the Republic briefly in 1951. He founded and led the Estado Novo , the authoritarian, right-wing government that presided over and controlled Portugal...
, 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
Dundas Street (Toronto)
Dundas Street, also known as Highway 5 west of Toronto, is a major arterial road connecting the centre of that city with its western suburbs and southwestern Ontario beyond...
to Brockton Village
Brockton Village
Brockton Village is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It comprises a section of the old Town of Brockton which was annexed by the City of Toronto in 1884. The town encompassed the area from Bloor Street on the north, Dufferin Street on the east, High Park on the west and ranged from...
. 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.
Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
has the second most populous number of Portuguese immigrants with an estimated 47,000. Most started immigrating in the 1960's and settled in the Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal is a borough of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The Plateau-Mont-Royal takes its name from its location on relatively flat terrain north of Sherbrooke Street and downtown, and east of Mont-Royal...
mainly around Saint Laurent Boulevard and Rachel Street. Many Portuguese stores and restaurants are located in Little Portugal
Little Portugal, Montreal
Montreal has a modest Portuguese population. Its historical population in Montreal is located in Little Portugal, which is situated in the western portion of the Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood....
.
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
also has a solid Portuguese community concentrated in the downtown core around Barton
Barton Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Barton Street is an arterial road in the Lower City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It's also the longest street in the city. It starts off at the Western end of town at Locke Street North and is a two-way street that stretches eastward through a number of different and varied communities in the...
and James Street
James Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
James Street is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at the base of the Niagara Escarpment from James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road in the city, originally was a one-way street going south throughout but now has sections of it that are two-way...
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.
Film and television
- Louis Ferreira - Actor (sometimes credited as 'Justin Lewis') that has appeared on nine different TV series to date.
Literature
- Anthony de SáAnthony De SaAnthony De Sa is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. His debut short story collection, Barnacle Love, was a shortlisted finalist for the 2008 Scotiabank Giller Prize....
- Novelist and short story writer. - Erika de VasconcelosErika de VasconcelosErika de Vasconcelos is a Portuguese Canadian novelist.-Biography:Born in 1965 in Montreal to recent immigrants from Portugal, de Vasconcelos has one sister, Paula, now a theatrical director...
- Novelist
Music
- Keshia ChantéKeshia ChantéKeshia Chanté is a Canadian Juno Award-winning critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, model, and actress...
- Singer, songwriter, and actress. - Nelly FurtadoNelly FurtadoNelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy...
- Singer, songwriter, and actress. - Anthony GomesAnthony GomesAnthony Gomes is a Canadian blues and blues rock guitarist and singer. He was born to a Portuguese father and a French-Canadian mother...
- Canadian blues and blues-rock guitarist and singer. - Brian MeloBrian MeloBrian Melo is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Hamilton, Ontario who was the winner of the fifth season of Canadian Idol in 2007. His first studio album, Livin' It, achieved Gold Status in Canada...
- musician, winner of Canadian IdolCanadian Idol (season 5)The fifth season of Canadian Idol is the fifth installation of the Idol series in Canada. It was again hosted by Ben Mulroney, with Farley Flex, Jake Gold, Sass Jordan and Zack Werner all returning as judges. The show premiered on June 5, 2007 with a 90-minute episode. Voting began during the...
season five. - Lucas SilveiraLucas SilveiraLucas Silveira is the Canadian vocalist/guitarist and songwriter for the rock band The Cliks. He has recently released his first solo effort "MOCKINGBIRD" since founding The Cliks and is currently touring the US and Canada promoting it....
- Singer/guitarist of rock band The CliksThe CliksThe Cliks are a Canadian rock band consisting of Lucas Silveira , Tobi Parks and Brian Viglione . The Cliks' major label debut album, Snakehouse was released on April 24, 2007 by Warner Music in Canada and by Tommy Boy Records in the United States.-History:In an In The Life interview, Silveira...
. - Danny FernandesDanny FernandesDaniel Bosco Fernandes is a Canadian singer and songwriter of Portuguese descent. He is signed to CP Records.-Career:...
- Pop/R&B singer and dancer; younger brother of Shawn Desman.
Philanthropy
- Ana LopesAna LopesAna Lopes is a Canadian Philanthropist and business executive. She is the Chair of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Vice-chair of the CAMH Foundation. In 1995, Lopes founded Saralex Communications, a promotion, marketing, and event management firm...
- Chair of the Toronto Symphony OrchestraToronto Symphony OrchestraThe Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. The TSO...
's Board of DirectorsBoard of directorsA board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
; Vice-chair of the CAMHCentre for Addiction and Mental HealthThe Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is a consortium of mental health clinics at several sites in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its name in French is Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale...
Foundation's Board of DirectorsBoard of directorsA board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
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Politicians/ Law
- Paul FerreiraPaul FerreiraPaul Ferreira is a Canadian social democratic politician and one of the first openly gay politicians elected to provincial office in Canada. He also has the distinction of being the very first Azorean-Canadian MPP...
- New Democratic PartyNew Democratic PartyThe New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for York-South Weston from February 2007 to October 2007. - Peter FonsecaPeter FonsecaPeter Fonseca is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Mississauga East—Cooksville for the Ontario Liberal Party from 2003-2011.-Background:...
- Minister of Labour of Ontario and member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament (2003). - Keith Martin (PC, MP, BSc, MD) - Physician and politician.
- Mário SilvaMario SilvaMario Silva, is a Canadian politician and a former Canadian Member of Parliament. Silva is a former a Toronto City Councillor and acting mayor."Acting Mayor" is a non-elected position. For example, the sets out the duties and powers of their Acting Mayor. Other cities will no doubt have somewhat...
- current LiberalLiberal Party of CanadaThe Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
representing the Davenport region in Toronto and former Toronto City CouncilToronto City CouncilThe Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
or. - Charles SousaCharles SousaCharles Sousa is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is the Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Mississauga South, and is the province's Minister of Labour in the Cabinet of Premier Dalton McGuinty...
- Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Mississauga.
Sports
- Daniel Fernandes - First-choice goalkeeper of GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
soccer club VfL BochumVfL BochumVerein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum, is a German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia.-Founding to World War II:...
. - Mike RibeiroMike RibeiroMichael Ribeiro is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League . Ribeiro is of Portuguese ancestry.-Playing career:...
- Professional ice hockey player for the Dallas StarsDallas StarsThe Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
of the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). - John Tavares - Professional ice hockey player drafted first overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft2009 NHL Entry DraftThe 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or...
by the New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
; has been interviewed by media from Portugal and speaks the language fluently (half Portuguese, half Polish). - John Tavares - Professional lacrosse player for the Buffalo BanditsBuffalo BanditsThe Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998....
; uncle of John Tavares (ice hockey). - Justin AzevedoJustin AzevedoJustin Azevedo is a Canadian ice hockey player of Portuguese descent who now plays for the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League , the top minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.- Junior career :...
- Professional ice hockey player in the Los Angeles KingsLos Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
' hockey organization. - Drew DoughtyDrew DoughtyAndrew 'Drew' Phillip Doughty is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
- Professional ice hockey player for the Los Angeles KingsLos Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
; part Portuguese. - Steve MartinsSteve MartinsSteve Martins is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Martins attended Harvard University, graduating in 1995. Martins played professional hockey from 1995 until 2009 primarily in minor leagues. He was able to play 267 games in the National Hockey League with the Hartford Whalers,...
- Former professional ice hockey player for the Hartford WhalersHartford WhalersThe Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
, Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
, Tampa Bay LightningTampa Bay LightningThe Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, St. Louis Blues and Ottawa SenatorsOttawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. - Emanuel ViveirosEmanuel ViveirosEmanuel "Manny" Viveiros is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 29 games in the National Hockey League for the Minnesota North Stars.-External links:...
- Former professional ice hockey player for the Minnesota North StarsMinnesota North StarsThe Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
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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
Portuguese-Canadian Educational groups
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 AmericanLuso AmericanThe prefix Luso- indicates a relation to the Lusitania, Portugal or the Portuguese people, as in the terms Portuguese American, Luso- Brasileiros, Luso-Africans, Luso-Asian. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of Portugal descent in United States, South America, Africa,...
- Portuguese British
- List of Portuguese Britons