Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne hosted a reception to Celebrate Tamil Heritage Month and Thai Pongal from 3 ??? 5 PM on Sunday, January?? 25th at the Scarborough Convention Centre ??? 20 Torham Place.
Ontario Legislative Assembly passed a bill on March 17th 2014, declaring January as Tamil Heritage Month in Ontario. This bill was proposed by Ontario PC Party and all political parties joined hand in passing this resolution unanimously.
January 2015 is the first Tamil Heritage Month since that resolution was passed in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It is anticipated that the celebrations will likely be marked on a wider scale in the future.?? Pictures here are from this year???s inaugural event hosted by Honourable Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario. (Pictures via: Office of the Premier of Ontario)
The following is the full text of the bill passed last year:
Bill 156 – 2014
An Act to proclaim the month of January Tamil Heritage Month
Preamble
Tamils began migrating to Ontario as early as the 1940s.?? Since that time, Tamil Canadians have overcome tremendous obstacles and have made significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of Ontario.
January is an important month for Tamil Canadians.?? The Tamil Harvest Festival, Thai Pongal, as well as other Tamil artistic and cultural events, take place in January.
By proclaiming the month of January as Tamil Heritage Month, the Province of Ontario recognizes the valuable contributions that Tamil Canadians have made to Ontario???s social, economic, political and cultural fabric.?? Tamil Heritage Month is an opportunity to remember, celebrate and educate future generations about the inspirational role that Tamil Canadians have played and continue to play in communities across Ontario.
Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
??Tamil Heritage Month
- The month of January in each year is proclaimed as Tamil Heritage Month.
??Commencement
- This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
Short title
- The short title of this Act is the Tamil Heritage Month Act, 2014.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Explanatory Note was written as a reader???s aid to Bill 156 and does not form part of the law.?? Bill 156 has been enacted as Chapter 4 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2014.
The Bill proclaims the month of January in each year as Tamil Heritage Month.
