Canada and Brazil closer together

Canada Day Festival, organized by CCBC, will promote discussions on topics such as education and job opportunities

By Sérgio Siscaro

On July 1st, Canada celebrates 155 years since the signing of the act that marked the country’s initial formation. To celebrate this date, the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC) annually brings together partners and offers several activities and virtual events, in addition to presenting to participants a broad panel of the opportunities that Canada can offer to various Brazilian audiences – from entrepreneurs working in different sectors to students interested in entering the prestigious Canadian educational institutions.

This year the festival will be held June 29-30. True to its mission of offering an authentic immersion in Canada, Canada Day will prioritize in its program themes related to education and opportunities in the Canadian labour market.

During the two-day event, the idea is to allow participants to attend lectures that offer relevant content for a better understanding of Canada’s potential in these different fields. As in previous editions, the activities will have the support of a number of CCBC partners.

A date to celebrate

The origin of Canada Day dates back to 1867, when three of the British Empire’s colonies in North America – the provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick – decided to unite into a single confederation. The new entity became the Dominion of Canada, which was practically an independent nation, although its foreign policy was still governed by London.

Gradually, new areas of what would be present-day Canada joined the confederation – which was completed with the accession of Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905. The autonomy of the realm increased in the following decades, gaining more muscle with the Statute of Westminster in 1931 and the Constitution Act of 1982. The latter closed any remaining legal ties that still bound the country to the United Kingdom, making it completely independent from the former metropolis.

It was at this time that Canada Day (or Fête du Canada, in French-speaking regions) was instituted on July 1st. The CCBC has always marked the date with a special program of events aimed at bringing the two countries closer together.

In 2017, when the 150th anniversary of the Dominion of Canada was celebrated, the entity promoted the second edition of its already renowned Gastronomic Week, featuring typical Canadian dishes, and the third version of the photography exhibit Olhares Cruzados: Imagens de Duas Culturas (Crossed Gazes: Images of Two Cultures). Even during the years 2020 and 2021, marked by a series of restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Chamber continued to promote Canada Day, virtually.

Success also in the virtual model

Both in 2020 and 2021 the Canada Day CCBC Online Festival was held, as a way of not depriving Brazilians of the attractions and content that have always marked the festival’s history.

Last year, more than 3 thousand people participated in the 11 virtual debate sessions, which took place between June 28 and July 2. There were also 13 thousand visitors to the event’s website, which made available content covering topics such as culture, leisure, gastronomy, sports, and education, among others.

The celebration also had the merit of marking the 80th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations between Brazil and Canada, established in 1921.

Service

Canada Day 2022

June 29 and 30