Canadian Parliament Declares June as Filipino Heritage Month

Ambassador to Canada Petronila P. Garcia (fourth from left, first row) joins member of Canadian Parliament Salma Zahid (fifth from left, first row) and her parliamentary colleagues including Canada-Philippines Interparliamentary Friendship Group Chair Kevin Lamoureux (first row, without coat). (Ottawa PE photo)

OTTAWA 06 December 2018 — Ambassador to Canada Petronila P. Garcia led leaders of various Filipino Community organizations from Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto in expressing their appreciation for the parliamentary gesture which recognized the valuable contribution of the Filipino diaspora in Canada at a reception hosted by Member of Parliament (MP) Salma Zahid in Ottawa on 08 November 2018.

In a unanimous vote of 290 in favor and none against, the House of Commons of the Parliament of Canada adopted on 30 October 2018 Motion 155, which declares the month of June of each year as Filipino Heritage Month throughout Canada.

The private member’s bill was authored by MP Zahid who represents the Scarborough Centre district in the Greater Toronto Area.

At last night’s celebration, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen spoke on behalf of the federal government and assured the Filipino-Canadian community that a pathway towards permanent residency will always be made available to Filipino immigrants who now number more than 900,000 in the country, the second largest Filipino diaspora after that of the United States.

For more information, visit www.ottawape.dfa.gov.ph / www.philembassy.ca or https://www.facebook.com/PHinCanada/

Ambassador Garcia addresses invited guests as Canadian parliamentarians who sponsored Motion 155 stood behind her. (Ottawa PE photo)

Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen (left) represents the federal government as Member of Parliament Salma Zahid (right), principal author of Motion 155, welcomes guests. (Ottawa PE photo)