Bill 125 2003

An Act to make
December 12
Italian Heritage Day

Preamble

Italian-Canadians are the proud descendants of a culture that originated in the glorious city-states and regions of Rome, Venice, Naples, Sicily, Florence, Milan, Genoa, Torino, Trieste and Calabria. Many of the ideas, ideals and institutions upon which our modern state is based, such as an accountable bureaucracy, political philosophy, elected houses of parliament, order, good government, and personal growth through visual and performing arts, music, literature and most importantly on education were developed by the ancient Italians.

Today, over 700,000 people of Italian descent thrive in Ontario. Some have been established since the first major waves arrived in the 1880s and some are recent immigrants to this country. Ontario citizens of Italian descent continue to make significant contributions to the cultural and economic growth of Ontario and Canada.

On December 12, 1901, the world-renown, Nobel Prize winning Italian physicist Guglielmo Marchese Marconi received in Saint John's, Newfoundland the first transatlantic wireless signal from his transmission station in Cornwall, England. This was one of the most important developments in human history allowing communication across much greater distances and permitting people from anywhere in the world to communicate with each other. Marconi's efforts were the precursor of the radio and the Internet and other telecommunication tools that are all very present in our everyday lives. The efforts of Mr. Marconi should be recognized.

Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Italian Heritage Day

1. December 12 in each year is proclaimed as Italian Heritage Day.

Commencement

2. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3. The short title of this Act is the Italian Heritage Day Act, 2003.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill proclaims December 12 in each year as Italian Heritage Day.