🟡 45th Parliament, 1st Session — No upcoming sitting dates scheduled
S-220 Social Policy

S-220 (45-1) - Hellenic Heritage Month Act

Chamber

senate

Stage

2nd Reading

Introduced

May 28, 2025

Progress

This bill officially designates March as Hellenic Heritage Month across Canada every year.

Key Changes

  • Officially designates March as 'Hellenic Heritage Month' across Canada
  • Creates a permanent annual recognition, applying every year going forward
  • Adds to Canada's existing framework of heritage month designations

Gotchas

  • This is a symbolic designation only — it does not require any government spending, programs, or events
  • The bill does not create any legal obligations for individuals, businesses, or governments to observe or celebrate the month
  • March 25 is also recognized as Greek Independence Day, which already has some existing recognition in various Canadian communities
  • Similar heritage month designations exist in Canada for other cultural groups, and this bill follows that established pattern

Who's Affected

  • Greek Canadians and communities of Hellenic heritage
  • Cultural and community organizations celebrating Greek heritage
  • General Canadian public through increased cultural awareness

Summary

Bill S-220 proposes to make March officially recognized as 'Hellenic Heritage Month' in Canada. The bill highlights that over 260,000 Canadians are of Greek descent and that Greek Canadians have contributed to many areas of Canadian life, including politics, science, medicine, and culture. March was chosen because of its cultural and historical significance to the Greek community. March 25, 1821 marks the beginning of Greece's war of independence from the Ottoman Empire, which is also celebrated as the Great Feast of the Annunciation in the Greek Orthodox tradition. The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Loffreda and aims to encourage Greek Canadians to celebrate and share their heritage with other Canadians. It is a symbolic designation and does not create any legal obligations or government spending.

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