The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on Wednesday called for the political participation of Portuguese emigrants in Canada in the elections in Portugal and for the Council of Portuguese Communities.
The head of state spoke on Wednesday evening, early this morning in Lisbon, during a meeting with representatives of the Portuguese community in Montreal, the first point of his official visit to Canada.
“It is necessary that they are not disinterested in political participation, including in Portugal. When electing municipal councilors – a new law has now been released – it is essential that they participate,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. that “there will be an election for those responsible for the Communities Council”.
In front of a few hundred people, the President of the Republic asked in the lounge of a hotel in Montreal: ‘Do not be disinterested, do not be alienated from the concerns about the elections in Portugal. I speak very freely, I have no more elections ahead of me. That’s why it’s essential that you participate. Your participation gives you more power in Portugal and more power here. That is essential.”
In this intervention, the Head of State highlighted Canadian tourism in Portugal, highlighting, among other things, the presence of “Portuguese-Canadians who arrive and either already had a place of residence or began to have a new place of residence, and so many of them invest in Portugal” .
“This is a new reality, it is a reality that is growing. It is not only what we owe throughout history to what they send from their savings, it is the belief to contribute to the Portugal of today and the Portugal of the future.” , added Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, as “this is priceless”.
Accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, and representatives of all parliamentary groups – PS, PSD, Chega, Liberal Initiative, PCP and Bloco de Esquerda – the President of the Republic declared that “it is Portugal that is united to and to thank years and years and decades of dedication to this community.”
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that the last Portuguese president to visit Montreal was “the unforgettable and always remembered” Jorge Sampaio, 22 years ago, in May 2001, for whom he asked for applause.
Regarding the meeting he will have with the Canadian Prime Minister on Friday, he emphasized that Justin Trudeau will travel for this purpose “from a meeting he has in Ottawa to Toronto”, which, in his opinion, shows the importance attributed to the Portuguese Canadian relations and the Portuguese living in Canada.
In honor of all Portuguese residents of Canada, the Head of State distinguished the Chancellor of the Consulate General of Portugal in Montreal, David Pereira.
The Foreign Minister, who also spoke at this meeting, spoke about the government’s support and programs aimed at expatriate communities, emphasizing the creation of “diaspora investor status”.
João Gomes Cravinho said that “Canada is the ninth country in terms of people who have the status of investors in the diaspora” and expressed the expectation that “this number can continue to grow” and that “the Portuguese diaspora will join the development of Portugal”.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa arrived in Canada on Wednesday for a five-day visit dedicated to the expatriate communities in this country, where almost 450,000 people of Portuguese descent live, according to the 2021 census.
Before welcoming the Portuguese community, the head of state walked through Montreal.
As he passed by a bookstore, the media asked him about the latest book by the former President of the Republic Cavaco Silva, entitled “The Prime Minister and the Art of Governing”.
“I will definitely read it, but as you know I never comment on former presidents or future presidents, so I read it but I don’t comment,” Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa replied.
Source: DN
