“Tourism creates stronger ties between countries and between communities. The potential for Canadian tourism to Portugal, even in a post-pandemic year, as was the case in 2022, has already been noticed again since the summer, with Canadians traveling to Portugal. Lisbon was the fourth summer destination for Canadians,” said the diplomat.

In an interview with Lusa, the diplomat explained that “it is not only Canadians with Portuguese, emotional or family ties, but Canadians without emotional ties to Portugal” who visit the country.

“Portugal is currently a popular destination for Canada, not only as tourists, but also as a country. There is an increase in Canadian investment in Portugal, not only through the free trade agreement between the country and the European Union (CETA, acronym in English), it has been expressive, as it has been ours, but not in the same proportions”, he pointed out. .

António Leão Rocha explained that, since the agreement, bilateral trade “has been more favorable to Portugal than to Canada, with Portuguese exports increasing more than those of Canada”.

Official Portuguese immigration to Canada celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, with the celebrations culminating on May 13, when the “pioneers” docked with the ship Saturnia in Halifax, on the country’s east coast, in 1953.

The Secretary of State for the Portuguese Communities, Paulo Cafôfo, began an official visit to Canada on Monday, passing through the main cities, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver and ending in Toronto on May 15.

The President of the Assembly of the Republic, Augusto Santos Silva, also announced that he would participate in these celebrations in Toronto. For the ambassador, the visits of official representatives of the Portuguese government to the country “are accelerators that deepen relations” between the two countries.

“The visits we are going to have and others to come are important, they are always an accelerator that deepens relations”, welcomed António Leão Rocha.

The two countries also celebrated in 2022 the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. “These are two countries that very much identify with each other. Both multilateral, both work in areas related to human rights, democracy and the defense of gender equality. In all these areas, Portugal and Canada have a great affinity, they are normally very strong partners and allies,” he added.

Both celebrations create a “symbolic impact and development”, but also “substantial in relations”, “very significant for the community”.

About 450,000 people reported their ethnic cultural background as Portuguese in the 2021 Canadian census, of which almost 250,000 revealed Portuguese as their mother tongue.

SEYM // PJA

By Impala News / Lusa

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