Portuguese-Canadian History & Portuguese Communities in Canada
Latest Articles
Lusocanada is a research and media platform dedicated to Portuguese-Canadian history, communities, and cultural heritage across Canada.
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Luso-Canada ‘First’: Mario Silva elected as Member of Parliament
In 2003, Mario Silva became the first Luso-Canadian to be elected to the Federal Parliament, representing the area of Davenport (Toronto). Mario Silva ran for the Liberal Party of Canada.
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The Glory of Terceira in Toronto
In the Azorean Island of Terceira, Sport Club Lusitânia is the pride of most local football (soccer) fans. They call it the Glory of Terceira. In Toronto, there is a counterpart that once witnessed glory of its own. Sport Club Lusitânia of Toronto was founded on April 19, 1976, by a group of friends who
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Cleaner’s Action Program (1975) improved working conditions for many Portuguese women
In 1975, Portuguese women who worked in the cleaning industry were facing serious challenges at their workplace that included low wages, long hours, and dire working conditions. The Cleaner’s Action Program arose out of these circumstances and paved the way for a more favorable working environment for all cleaning workers in Toronto. Ever since the
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Lusitânia of Ottawa – 60 years of history
In the year it celebrates its 60th anniversary, Lusitânia Portuguese Recreation Centre of Ottawa-Hull is still recovering from the effects of the covid-19 pandemic. A group of committed local Luso-Canadians were instrumental in the preservation of the organization during restrictions and lockdowns and, more recently, in the task of returning it to a stable position.
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First Portuguese – Symbol of Resilience
In its early years, First Portuguese Canadian Cultural Centre played a crucial role in the lives of many newcomers who arrived in Toronto from Portugal. As the population grew, so did the number of community organizations in the region, many of which were formed within the walls of the association. This growth inevitably relegated First
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“Galo” Inaugurated Twenty Years Ago
For the occasion of the second anniversary of its rancho folclórico, Associação Migrante de Barcelos Community Centre organized, in 2003, the first international folklore festival in the Portuguese community, fittingly named “Galo” (rooster), the symbol of Barcelos. The event, which included groups from Canada and the United States of America, took place on March 29
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LARGE-SCALE DEPORTATION OF PORTUGUESE IN 2006
At the start of 2006, the Portuguese community in Canada became one of the targets of the Conservative Government’s policy to deport illegal workers. At the time, many believed that this was an attempt to eliminate unskilled workers and attract immigrants with higher education. The media, both locally and in Portugal, focused on the Portuguese,
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COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WITH POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN CELEBRATORY YEAR (2003)
Although 2003 will always be remembered for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Portuguese immigration to Canada, the elections to the Council of the Portuguese Communities (Conselho das Comunidades Portuguesas) were also an occurrence that deserves to remain in the history books. This is because, for the first time, members of our community associations
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The Day Benfica Played…Benfica!
On June 26, 2005, the London Cover Road Stadium hosted a game that would be remembered for ages. Late that Sunday afternoon, Benfica won but, inevitably, it also lost. It was the day that Benfica played Benfica. It was the second game of another round of the Ontario Cup. Sport London Benfica was matched against
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Unearthed: First Social Event of Portuguese Community in Vaughan
On March 28, 2006, Jornal Flash published a short piece written by then newspaper’s Editor, David Silva, about the first ever social event held in Maple by the local Portuguese community. This event was held the previous weekend, on Saturday, March 25, 2006, at the community hall of St. David’s Parish, in Vaughan. The original