 |
|
Saint Michel, Montreal | | Date: Current | | Notes: Typical duplexes bought up by Italians in the 1970s in the district of Saint Michel. | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Montreal North, Quebec, Canada | | Date: Current | | Notes: In the 1960s Italian-Quebecers moved out of Montreal's Little Italy and into other areas of the city, including St. Leonard, Montreal North and LaSalle. At that time real estate was relatively cheap, but as most new immigrants were working in low-paying jobs they often bought duplexes rather than one-family homes for obvious financial reasons. The duplexes in this photo are typical of the ones Italians invested in. While 42 per cent of Montreal's adult population owns a home instead of renting an apartment, an impressive 64 per cent of Montreal's ethnic population owns the house they live in. | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Montreal, Quebec, Canada | | Date: Current | Notes: Montreal was traditionally francophone; first-generation Italians started to move into the city in the 1910s. At that time Francophone school administrators discouraged new immigrants from enrolling their children in French schools, directing them to the local English schools in the area. Obviously those children of first-generation Italian immigrants who attended English schools became assimilated into the English culture. In the mid 1970s Quebec politicians recognized the short-sightedness of their school administrators' decision to deny access to French education to new immigrants. They decided that it was now time for new immigrants to send their children to French schools. However, Italian immigrants (especially those living in Saint Leonard) being all too aware of the power of the 300 million plus English speaking Americans south of the border, wanted their children to attend English schools. The Quebec government could not persuade the new immigrants to register their children in French schools, so the dispute was settled with the creation of Bill 63, Bill 22 and finally Bill 101. According to Bill 101 only students with a parent who was schooled in English in Canada may attend an English school; otherwise education in French is mandatory. Thirty years after this bill was passed, there still exists tensions between the French, English and Italians over language issues. Obviously, third generation Italians don't speak much Italian, but those who did their schooling in French speak excellent French, and those who went to English schools speak excellent English. Many Italians (though not all) are fluent in both French and English. A large number of second and third generation Italian immigrants who assimilated into the English culture left for Toronto (or elsewhere) in the late 1970s when Quebec came very close to separating from Canada, and declaring itself an independent country. As Quebec's drive for political independence is seemingly never-ending those immigrants who have chosen to make Montreal their home, on the most part, regard the city as an international center where the more languages one speaks the better off one is -- not only financially, but emotionally as well. Language is the key to culture and understanding.
Photo: Mary Melfi. | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Notre-Dame-de-Grace, Montreal, Quebec | | Date: Current | Notes: Most first-generation Italians in Notre-Dame-de-Grace, an older district in the west end of Montreal, live in duplexes similar to the ones seen in this photo. Often, one can tell if Italians are inhabiting the duplexes, by the exterior landscape -- the greater the number of flower pots or flowering shrubs, the higher the probability that Italians own the property. Many second-generation Italians have left N.D.G. -- either they moved to the West Island, a Montreal suburb, or moved to Toronto.
Photo: Mary Melfi. | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Montreal, Quebec, Canada | | Date: Current | Notes: The Italian Cultural Institute (of Montreal) "Instituto Italiano di Cultura" is located at 1200 Dr. Penfield (514-849-3473). The Montreal Institute, one of 90 around the world, promotes Italian culture. Working in conjunction with Italy's consulates and embassies it strives to be a focal point for Italian culture. The Institute organises conferences, exhibitions and concerts. It also offers Italian language courses on its premises. For more information on Montreal's Italian Cultural Institute visit: www.iicmontreal.estori.it.
Photo: Mary Melfi. | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Montreal, Quebec, Canada | | Date: Current | Notes: The Italian Consulate and Trade Office in Montreal is located at 3489 Drummond Street H3G 1X6 (Tel. 514-849-8351). For more information visit: www.italconsul.Montreal.qc.ca.
Photo: Mary Melfi. | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Notre-Dame-de-Grace, Montreal, Quebec | | Date: Current | Notes: Not only does Montreal's downtown core have an international flavour, but so does its residential areas. Italian food shops and those from other parts of the world can be seen side by side. A recent census reported 180,000 persons of Italian origin in Montreal, 70,000 of Greek origin, 70,000 of West Indian origin, 40,000 of Portuguese origin and 40,000 of Chinese origin.
Photo: Mary Melfi. | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Notre-Dame-de-Grace, Montreal, Quebec | | Date: Current | | Notes: In the 1930s Notre-Dame-des-Graces (N.D.G.) had a relatively large population of new Italian immigrants, especially south of Saint Jacques Street("below the tracks"). They made up the "first wave" of immigrants, many of whom had arrived in the 1910s. Often, these individuals made ends meet by renting out rooms to newcomers. In the early 1950s many new immigrants (including this contributor's uncle) boarded with relatives in N.D.G. and then managed to save enough for a down payment on their own home. As real estate prices were much cheaper in the East end of Montreal, the majority of Italians opted to settle there. There are still a number of Italian grocery shops, pastry shops and restaurants in N.D.G., a testament to the power of Italian cookery (Everyone loves it!). In fact, Italian food is so popular in North America that a vast number of Italian restaurants, pizza joints in particular, are run and owned by every other ethnic group except those from the "old country." | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Canada | | Date: Current | Notes: "As of 2006, 1,449,695 Canadians residents stated they had Italian ancestry, in which 741,045 had sole Italian origins while the other 704,285 were of partial Italian origin along with other ethnic origins, chiefly with other European ethnic groups e.g. Italian-Irish, Italian-English, Italian-French, etc.... Canadians of Italian ancestry make up 4.6% of the population of Canada, a rise from 4.3% in 2001. The majority live in Ontario (867,980) where they constitute more than seven per cent of the population, while another 300,000 live in Quebec...."
| Contributed by: Notes and image courtesy of Wikipedia
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Little Italy, Montreal, Quebec | | Date: Current | | Notes: "Il Corriere Italiano" was founded in the early 1950s. It is one of the most popular Italian newspapers in Montreal. | Contributed by: Mary Melfi
| | View full size image |
|
Page: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / Next >>
|
