É difícil acreditar que haverá mais um conselheiro na comunidade em Montreal. Mas, sim, haverá mais um conselheiro do Conselho da Diáspora Açoriana.
O que é este bicho de sete cabeças?
Simples…
“O desenvolvimento do projeto do SITE “Açorianos no Mundo” surge no seguimento da publicação do Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 18/2019/A , de 5 de agosto, que cria o Conselho da Diáspora Açoriana (CDA), e que institui, na sua alínea d) do n.º 1 do artigo 4.º, que o CDA será constituído, para além de outros membros, pelos “conselheiros representantes das diversas áreas geográficas da diáspora açoriana”.
Estes conselheiros serão responsáveis por representar e defender os interesses das suas comunidades junto do Governo da Região Autónoma dos Açores. No total, neste processo eleitoral, regulamentado por portaria do Governo dos Açores, serão eleitos dezanove Conselheiros da Diáspora Açoriana, por um mandato de 4 anos”.
COMPOSIÇÃO DO CDA
“O Conselho da Diáspora Açoriana é presidido pelo Presidente do Governo Regional dos Açores e, no total, integra trinta e seis membros, nomeadamente:
O membro do Governo Regional com competência em matéria de emigração e comunidades açorianas;
Três representantes da Assembleia Legislativa da Região Autónoma dos Açores;
Dezanove representantes eleitos da diáspora açoriana;
Um representante do Conselho Mundial das Casas dos Açores;
Os diretores regionais com competências nas áreas da emigração e comunidades, da solidariedade social, do emprego e da qualificação profissional, da cultura, do turismo e dos incentivos;
Um representante da SDEA – Sociedade para o Desenvolvimento Empresarial dos Açores;
Um representante da Associação de Municípios da Região Autónoma dos Açores;
Um representante das associações de emigrantes com presença e atividade na Região Autónoma dos Açores;
Um representante da Direção-Geral dos Assuntos Consulares e das Comunidades Portuguesas; e
Um representante do Conselho das Comunidades Portuguesas.
Aqui quero vos apresentar o único candidato para o Quebeque, mas, de alta qualidade e que já é bastante conhecido na comunidade portuguesa de Montreal e de Laval.
Nome: Victor Faria
Nacionalidade: Canadá
Profissão: Sales and Marketing Manager
“It is with great ambition that I seek to present my candidacy as representative of Québec for the elections of the Azorean Diaspora Council. I have been involved with the Portuguese communities of Montréal and Laval (in the Province of Québec, Canada) since the age of five. I have seen these communities grow, flourish and echo the Azorean cultures on so many fronts. Resulting from the ambition of our immigrant elders (fearless workers where everything was possible), they have created a beautiful local diaspora of sights, sounds, smells, flavours and memories that are signatures of our heritage. Unfortunately, as these elders started to withdraw, many cultural beacons might have also been fading. From great challenges, comes great opportunity. Our generation must learn from our elders, record their memories and transmit the knowledge and passion of this beautiful culture that we share.
More specifically, I will seek to leverage all my contacts and community assets (halls, churches, restaurants, businesses, entrepreneurs, professionals, clubs, groups, Casa dos Açores, folklore groups, philharmonic bands, radio, social media, etc) to find opportunities to bring the community together. I will seek to provide ways to preserve the current cultural assets all in the while working to provide new innovative ways to keep the Azorean heartbeat in the incoming generation while ensuring that it shines brightly and proudly.
As a member Azorean Diaspora Council I feel It will be my responsibility to serve as an important link to express the ambitions and concerns of the local Azorean community while, on the other hand, echo the voice of Governo Regional do Açores and the beautiful involvement it wants to have with all it’s communities around the globe.
Not only do I feel that I possess all the attributes to properly fulfill this role but, more specifically, I feel I have the passion and drive to serve our beautiful culture.
Born in Montréal, Québec, Canada in 1978, Victor Faria moved with his parents to the suburb of Laval in 1981. There, there was a bubbling Portuguese community called Association Portuguesa de Laval, which was gathering in what was called A Casa Branca. The main ambition of this association was to build a Portuguese Church that would allow to covey the Portuguese culture and traditions (but mainly Azorean, as it was 90% constituency of the members). The Nossa Senhora de Fatima de Laval church was built in majority with the volunteer work of the fearless Azorean immigrants, then inaugurated in 1985. Victor participated in many community events: from dancing in the Grupo Folclorico Estrelas do Atlantico, from ages 5 to 14, undertaking Portuguese school from grade 1 to 6, becoming president of the local Portuguese youth group at the age of 14 and then becoming trombonist for the Filarmonica do Divino Espirito Santo de Laval from ages 14 to 27.
More recently, Victor was president of the same philharmonic from 2011 to 2016. Under his tenure, the band accomplish many feats, starting from the relocation of the band to the Casa dos Açores do Quebeque, to recording it’s first and only CD. The band had the pleasure to resonate in many other Portuguese communities, like Brampton and Kingston Ontario as well as Fall River, Massachusetts. Victor was also council member for the Missao Nossa Senhora de Fatima in 2019.
Victor holds an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the École Polytechnique de Montréal and an MBA from the John Molson School of Business. He works for the largest Canadian integrated energy company, Suncor, as Asphalt Marketing Manager.
Happily married to Julie Pereira, also from Azorean descent, she is Artistic Coordinator for the Grupo Folclorico e Etnografico Estrelas to Atlantico. They have two beautiful children that speak Portuguese and that are proud to maintain the Azorean culture”.
Victor Faria é o único candidato no Quebeque, e fará um excelente candidato e conselheiro para a nossa comunidade. Não devemos esquecer que a candidatura foi de 1 de abril até ao dia 10 de abril e que do 17 de abril até maio será a campanha eleitoral decorre de 15 de abril até ao 15 de maio e as votações realizam-se de 20 a 24 de maio, na plataforma “Açorianos no Mundo”.
