From: The Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples/Argentinians/Agueda Reus-BazÁn
The fact that many Argentinians have ancestry in other countries allows them to establish relations with other groups in Canada, such as the Italian communities in Toronto and Ottawa and the Jews in Montreal. They are not generally perceived as part of a larger Hispanic community but rather as having ties to European culture. This characteristic has been an important factor in their integration into Canadian society. However, Argentinians have collaborated with other Latin Americans in organizing soccer clubs, producing radio programs, and publishing Spanish-language newspapers, including El Popular (Of the People; 1970– ) in Toronto and El Correo (The Post) in Montreal. Argentinians in Ottawa have been founders and active members of the Foro Ibérico-Americano, a cultural association dedicated to increasing awareness of Canadian issues among Latin Americans and improving other Canadians’ knowledge about Latin America.
Because many Argentinians came to Canada to escape political unrest or economic decline, they have experienced a sense of freedom and the possibility of prosperity. This feeling has helped a number of them to find success in many areas, including public life. Sergio Marchi, of mixed Argentinian and Italian ancestry, who arrived in Canada from Argentina as a small child in 1959, was elected a member of parliament for the Toronto riding of York West in 1984. He served as opposition critic in several portfolios and as chair of the Ontario and national caucuses of the federal Liberal Party before becoming a cabinet minister in the government of Jean Chrétien in 1993.
Such individual achievements provide a glimpse of Argentinians’ response to the welcome that they have received in Canada. At the same time, these accomplishments demonstrate that the community has been a positive factor in the country’s development and that its members take pride in being Argentinian Canadians.
