Montreal Celebrates Greek Independence Day With Huge Parade

Thousands of Greek Canadians gathered at Montreal’s Park-Extension on Sunday to celebrate Greek Independence Day with their annual parade.

The prime minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took part in the celebrations. A mix of Greek, Canadian, and Quebec flags waved above the crowd on Jean-Talon Street.

“We figure about 2,000 to 3,000 participants [took part] in it, and about 5,000 spectators were present,” said Chris Adamopoulos, director general at Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal.

Patriotism, cultural heritage, and unity were at the heart of the event. “It’s always good that Greece and Canada can collaborate on different projects and investments,” said Adamopoulos. “So we’re extremely excited to have both prime ministers here with us today.”

Former Liberal MP Eleni Bakopanos told Montreal City News it’s been forty-one years since a Greek prime minister visited Montreal.

“So it’s a unique occasion and so everybody’s happy, [and] we’re happy,” Bakopanos said. “We wanted everybody to share in that today and I think most of Montreal is really proud of the Greek community in Montreal. What we’ve built together with them.”

Greek songs and dance at the Montreal parade

There are nearly 300,000 Canadians of Greek origin and many Canadians living, working, and studying in Greece, which is why Canada is investing in a brand-new Laval Community Complex alongside the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal.

The complex will be a space for the public, including the Greek community, to celebrate culture, tradition, and heritage. It will include a theater, sports complex, library, offices, and other spaces to bring the community together and host commemorative events.

Earlier, a joint statement between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau confirmed the Greek acquisition of seven state-of-the-art DHC-515 firefighting aircraft from the Canadian Commercial Corporation.

The acquisition of the firefighting aircraft is a sign of the dynamic trade and economic partnership that Canada and Greece enjoy.

“The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has created significant opportunities for both Greek and Canadian businesses and workers,” the two leaders said in their statement. “Since its provisional application in 2017, trade between Canada and Greece has grown by 80 percent.”

The two countries are planning to explore a Memorandum of Understanding in tourism promotion that looks at sharing data on how to best increase tourist flows between Canada and Greece. They will also collaborate on best practices to deal with the impact of natural disasters and climate change on the tourism sector.