From our President Frank :
On this day that we celebrate Canada’s history , I thought I would share a personal piece of info . Our family landed at pier 21 in Halifax on 1953 - our ship and our family is in the history logs now at the records office on the 2nd floor of Pier 21 . Our family then took the train to Montreal and a car to Saint-Cuthbert a parish municipality situated on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in the Lanaudière region of Quebec, just north of Berthierville.
Unlike immigrants today we were sponsored by my Aunt and Uncle who signed documents that they would ensure and guaranteed we were not a drain on the taxpayers of Canada for some 10 years . In 1955 we travelled by train to Vanvouver where my dad was offered work with a company as a labourer at a company my uncle worked at. The work offered was as many hours as your body could absorb and as many days a week as you wanted to work . He worked for two different owners of the same company who not only changed owners but locations from Vanvouver to North Vanvouver . He retired from the company as the general manager at age 65 .He accomplished great things for the company over the years Some of which included getting CSA certification for their fiberglass and concrete products by proving structural loading of finished Fiber glass septic tanks and concrete tanks without the typical Hydraulic loading equipment that current labs would use . (Yes I did non destructive testing at BCIT lab to test design parameters )
I have to share that I did do a summer placement with the company , going through two sets of jeans and many sore muscles working with a 70 year old gentleman that made me look weak in that I could not keep up to him in the concrete tub line .
In 1965 my brother and I were given the opportunity to swear allegiance to Canada along with my parents , no hesitation on our side , no loss of our or my Italian heritage just a huge commitment to be the best Canadian we could be after our family being given the opportunity to join the country as a Canadians with Italian roots .
In later years my spouse and I were able to visit the Canadian memorial at Vimy located in Givenchy-en-Gohelle, France. Honoring the 11,000+ Canadians who were killed in France during World War I, it features striking twin white pylons . It was a moving visit even if as you might know as immigrants we had no family in the Canadian forces .
You have to understand that my grandfather , father , uncles and others served in the 1st and 2nd world wars . Some in resistance movement some on the front lines and some did never make it home .
Today is a special day for me and I constantly remind my kids and grandkids on how lucky we are to be part of this great country . I stress that they have to be the best they can be to ensure the sacrifices that were made by their grandparents were not in vain .
Happy Canada Day .If you too are a new immigrant to this great country , join us as Canadians when you can .
... See MoreSee Less
5 hours ago
