Prime Minister Stephen Harper will participate today in a celebration hosted by the Vietnamese Association of Toronto marking the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
"I would like to extend my best wishes to all those celebrating the Vietnamese New Year in Canada and around the world," said Prime Minister Harper. "With more than 190,000 people of Vietnamese origin living in Canada today, we are proud to recognize this important holiday, and to celebrate the tremendous contributions by this community to our country's rich and diverse heritage."
The Vietnamese New Year, also known as Tết, is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the year that has just passed, and to look forward to the year ahead. In 2013, Tết officially begins on February 10, and marks the start of the Year of the Snake.
The Prime Minister will be joined by Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, and Thanh Hai Ngo, Canada's first Senator of Vietnamese origin.
