TORONTO – My maternal grandfather, Leonardo Liscio, settled permanently in the Annex quarter of Toronto, in the early 1900s. He had travelled back and forth across the Atlantic in the late 1800s before making his residency permanent and his citizenship Canadian [British Subject]. Readers will, hopefully, forgive my self-indulgence when I praise his resiliency and commitment to this country. It was not always a bed of roses, as the saying goes. Count your blessings and push ahead, he would say 0when i tried to commiserate with him in moments of sorrowful reflection.
Some day, I will share his story with Corriere Canadese‘s readership. There are many among us with similar – if not more rewarding – experiences. It is not an expression of false modesty. The current frenzy over [insane] tariff discussions has at the very least served to stimulate us Canadians to appreciate what we have and to look more broadly afield for more expansive choices. People may not want to be American, today, but “you are what you eat”.
Some may know that, one of my sons is among the most recognized authorities in the manufacturing/industrial, and he promotes Canadian interests with competence and irrepressible energy. Another has been writing twice-weekly about the Italian [Canadian] contribution to culture through cinema with a convincing style. My first born supported the paper with his advertising oof products he imports from Italy. And now, my daughter, in co-operation with food and restaurateur co-operatives in Italy and beyond, has developed a series of articles on the agri-food industry – I love fruits and vegetables [italiane] – as an alternative for those who prefer an alternative to the buy American dependency.
We’ll start tomorrow. Enjoy.
