Ontario Recognized June 10 as Portugal Day in 1986
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On June 10, 1986, the Proclamation of Portugal National Day was introduced in the Provincial Parliament of Ontario. Tony Ruprecht, then a Minister Without Portfolio for Citizenship and Culture, was the proponent of the historical proclamation. David N. Peterson was Premier of Ontario at the time.
The Proclamation read as such:
“Whereas the Province of Ontario and the Canadian Nation have prospered through the courage and industry of people of many nationalities who have come to this land in search of freedom and prosperity; and
“Whereas we are especially mindful of the important contributions that our citizens of Portuguese ancestry have made to our province and country since arriving in Canada; and
“Whereas recognition of the passing of the greatest Poet in the history of Portugal, LUIS de CAMOES, on June 10, 1580, was first commemorated as the National Day of Portugal on June 10, 1880; and
“Whereas the observance of this Anniversary fosters within us a deeper appreciation of poetry, culture and sense of history,
“Therefore on behalf of the Government of Ontario, we are pleased to recognize June 10, 1986 as PORTUGAL NATIONAL DAY and commend its observance to the people of our province.”
The document is signed by MPP Tony Ruprecht and Premier David N. Peterson.
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About The Author
Paulo Pereira
Paulo Pereira has worked in community media for over 20 years. He started as a reporter for Sol Portugues. Later, he became Editor of Team Desportivo, Director of Flash News, Director of Jornal da Aliança, Director of Luso-Ontario Magazine, and Editor at Correio da Manha Canada's newspaper. Paulo Pereira is also a co-founder of Associacao Migrante de Barcelos where he volunteered for many years as Secretary and Sporting Director. He also volunteered for Casa do Benfica de Toronto for close to a decade as member of the Board in roles such as Public Relations Director and Vice-President for Sports and Culture. Currently, he is the President of Project First Nations, a not-for-profit organization. In November of 2023, he was elected as a member of the Portuguese Community Council, representing the District of Toronto, which includes Ontario, Manitoba and Nunavut. In 2025, he received the King Charles III Coronation Medal from Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Arif Virani.