It’s Canada’s largest celebration with Canadian multicultural communities happening in Parc-Extension, Montreal. Thousands of people attended with their children dressed in red and white come to the lawns of Place de Gare Jean-Talon across from MAXI, a supermarket above Metro Parc, on Saturday, July 1st to celebrate Canada’s 156th Canada Day.

Canadian flags flew as the local community sang the Canadian national anthem with lots of children in attendance. Tattoos and gifts were given to attendees. The event was MCed by Samiha Hossain, Youth Ambassador of NBCC.

For the 19th edition of this celebration in Parc-Extension started from around 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm. There was music with a free BBQ along with 6-foot Canada Day themed cakes. The cake was cut by Monir Hossain and Nazia Hossain, coordinator of the celebration and vice president of the NBCC, accompanies by the constituency team of the Hon. Justin Trudeau, MP for Papineau and Prime Minister of Canada, Ms. Stavroula Daklaras and Ms. India La Haye, and director of the Maxi grocery store, Mr. Alexandre Brissette, along with volunteers, citizens and children who were present at the event.

“Canada Day is always pride for us,” said Monir Hossain, this is a chance for us to show our pride and roots of Canadian history to our generation” who organized Canada Day celebrations in Parc-Extension while other neighbourhoods and cities in the Montreal area either postponed or cancelled their July 1st events due to bad weather.

156th Canada Day Celebration in Park-Extension-2023 had the honor to receive message from the very hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada and Member of Parliament of Papineau, to congratulate the organization’s efforts for the local community of Parc-Extension and to highlight Canada Day Celebration at Parc-Ex 2023. Ms. Martine Musau Muele, City chair and City councillor of Villeray, shared words to participants as well.

The performances were South Asian song and dance performances by the South Asian communities and groups. There were bhangra dance and more, delivered a performance jam-packed with songs in multiple languages. Young participants joined “Canada Day art and quiz competition” were happy to celebrate Canada Day with friends and families, creating fun memories.

Monir Hossain, NBCC president and coordinator of the Canada Day Celebration at Parc-Ex-2023 told the audience that “the event seeks to integrate Canadian and multicultural communities into Canadian and Quebec social systems’’. He also said that “it’s for the kids” and, indeed, the children were the central force of the community as they have a role in the future as Canadian citizens. Many of them were accompanied by their parents to learn about Canadian history. Many participants coming to the celebration for the first time said it was “brand new and exciting” and parents are “happy that the children are learning more about their country.

Canada Day’s closing show on Parc-Extension played by original and acoustic band The Suspects Montreal Acoustic Trio.

National Bangladeshi-Canadian Council would like to thank its sponsors and administration. This would not have been possible without the help of our sponsors and especially the support of our community.

We would like to thank our sponsors: Government of Canada, Canadian Heritage, City of Montreal, Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc Extension, Maxi super store, Pharmacy Dimitra Alevetsovitis and Wissam el-Chayeb Inc. We want to thank the local media community: Parc-Extension Nouvelles, Somoy Tv Montreal, Nawa Pakistan and CityNews Montreal. We would like to thank our performers and volunteers.

Special and final thanks to the local community newspaper editor of the Parc-Extension Nouvelles Mr. George Guzmas and citizens of the Parc-Extension who supported the success of this event and will continue to do so for future celebrations.