This past weekend, I was honoured to attend the 14th National Convention of the Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy of Canada, hosted by our own Casa Dante here in Welland. The night was filled with amazing food and even better people. The Casa Dante organizers were kind enough to invite me to make a few remarks and those comments are below:

First, I would like to acknowledge the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, many of whom continue to live and work here today.

Dear friends and members of Casa Dante:

Please allow me to congratulate you on the occasion of your hosting the 14th National Convention of the Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy of Canada.

We join with you in welcoming visitors from across our great country.

Niagara’s past and present are filled with the accomplishments of our Italian community.

Immigrants from decades ago helped build the Niagara we know today, from the earliest days of the Welland Canal, our hydro infrastructure, and our manufacturing base, to those who turned to the land and helped establish Niagara’s vast farming community, growing fruits and vegetables and planting vineyards, all of which continues to contribute to our economy today. They built businesses and downtowns which continue to lead our region into a prosperous future full of opportunity for young people and new families.

And I cannot state strongly enough how much of a difference those same individuals have made to our community through volunteer organizations like the Sons and Daughters of Italy and others who have always come through when need was at its greatest and made sure their neighbours were cared for through their generosity.

With others, they helped build arenas and parks for children, they built halls for gatherings and weddings and all the events of our lives that bring us together as a community.

Canada and Niagara have been enriched by your presence. Their perseverance in overcoming so many obstacles when they arrived on our shores has been infused into the collective soul of our country and made all of us stronger.

Canadians from all nationalities will proudly join their fellow citizens in celebrating Italian Heritage Month in June as we recognize the Italian community’s contributions to the development our country and the achievements that all of you and all Canadians with Italian heritage across Canada have made, and will continue to make in the coming years.

More than 1.5 million Canadians are of Italian heritage, making Canada one of the largest Italian resettling locations in the world.

We are truly richer because your great grandparents, your grandparents, your parents and you chose to make your home in Niagara.

Grazie infinite.