Croatian Canadian

Croatian Canadian

Bob Bratina George Chuvalo Peter Mahovlich Joe Sakic Frank Dancevic M. E. Vlasic
Total population
Croatian 97,050 Canadians
Regions with significant populations
Ontario 37,395 Alberta 6,265 British Columbia 5,724
Languages
Canadian English, Canadian French, Croatian
Religion
Roman Catholic (dominant), Protestant, Islam

The Croatian community is present in most major Canadian cities, including the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, Windsor, and Montreal.

Some of the more popular Croatian Canadian events are the Croatian-North American Soccer Tournament and the Canadian-Croatian Folklore Festival.

Demographics

There are approximately 97,050 Canadians of Croatian ethnic origin as reported in the 2001 Census. Croatian-Canadians are present in most major Canadian cities. The ten largest Croatian communities are found in the following cities:

Toronto, Ontario: 12,230 Mississauga, Ontario: 9,140 Hamilton, Ontario: 8,170 Calgary, Alberta: 3,690 Vancouver, British Columbia: 2,945 Oakville, Ontario: 2,830 Burnaby, British Columbia: 2,770 Edmonton, Alberta: 2,575 Windsor, Ontario: 2,520 Ottawa, Ontario: 2,505.

Statistics Canada also designates Census Metropolitan Areas in the collection of its data. The ten Census Metropolitan Areas with the highest concentration of Croatian-Canadians are:

Toronto CMA: 30,585 Vancouver CMA: 11,225 Hamilton CMA: 9,710 Calgary CMA: 3,900 Kitchener CMA: 3,630 Windsor, Ontario CMA: 3,495 Montreal CMA: 3,270 Edmonton CMA: 3,230 Ottawa-Gatineau CMA: 2,890 London CMA: 2,445.

Religious Affiliation

Most Croatian Canadians are Roman Catholic who follow the Latin Rite of their ancestors in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. A very small minority of Croatians are Byzantine Rite Roman Catholics. There is also a community of Croats who follow Islam, the descendants of those who converted after the 16th century, after the conquest of much of Croatia by the Ottomans. Communities of Protestants have historically been negligible in Croatia.

In Canada, the first ethnic Croatian parish was established in Windsor in 1950. Soon, parishes were established in Toronto (1951), Hamilton (1958), Vancouver (1967). Today there are ethnic Croatian parishes and missions in seventeen cities in Canada. In addition, previously unorganized Croats of the Muslim faith, with the arrival of eminent physician Asaf Durakovic founded the Croatian Islamic Centre on June 23, 1973 in Etobicoke (75 Birmingham Street, Etobicoke, ON M8V 2C3), helped by the Croatian Catholic community.. An old Catholic school was bought for 75,000 CAD and readjusted into masjid. There was also a community of Bosnian Muslems of Yugoslav option, but the Croat option of Bosnian Muslems never cooperated with them, since Muslem Croats considered all Yugoslavs and Communists as chetniks and as their worst enemies. Since the old building was in catastrophic condition, a new mosque was built on the site of the old one in 1983. Today, given changing political affiliations and political pressures from 1990's, and influx of non-Croat option of Bosnian Muslems,the centre is now known as the Bosnian Islamic Centre. Despite that, today 4 out of 64 Canadian mosques have the attribute "Croatian". In Croatian Islamic Centre the children are taught the Croatian and Arabic languages, but there also Croatian Islamic newspapers, books, brochures etc. Croatian Islamic Center called on Muslim governments, organisations, and individuals to press the Yugoslav regime, to end the persecution of Islam and to grant genuin equality of Muslims in Yugoslavia. The director of Centre Kerim Reis wanted that Belgrade releases the Muslim prisoners of conscience and to end to restrictions on the building of mosques.. During Yugoslavia, this group often spoke accused Tito's Yugoslavia for practising discrimination both Muslim and Catholic Croats. While an overwhelming percentage of Croatians in Canada remain Roman Catholic, there are significant non-Catholic populations, including Protestants (most of whom have been in Canada for more than one generation) and Eastern Orthodox (the majority of whom are of mixed ethnic background).

The leading religious affiliations among Croatian-Canadians:

Roman Catholic: 77,025 (79.4%) Protestant: 5,870 (6.0%) Eastern Orthodox: 2,745 (2.8%) Christian (not otherwise specified): 1,120 (1.2%) Muslim: 490 (.5%) Other: 330 (.3%) No Religious Affiliation: 9,470 (9.8%).

Notable Croatian Canadians

Politicians

• Bob Bratina - City Councillor, Hamilton 2004-present
• Jan Brown - Former Reform/Independent MP Calgary Southeast 1993-1997
• Allan Kerpan - Saskatchewan Party MLA Carrot River Valley 2003-present; Former Reform MP Moose Jaw-Lake Centre 1993-2000
• Janko Peric - Former Liberal MP Cambridge 1993-2004
• Peter Sekulic Former Alta Liberal MLA Edmonton Manning 1993-1997
• Roseanne Skoke - Former Liberal MP Central Nova 1993-1997
• John Sola - Former Liberal MPP
• Dave Stupich - Former NDP MP Nanaimo-Cowichan 1988-1993; Former B.C. NDP MLA 1963-1969; 1972-1988
• Lynne Yelich - Canadian Alliance/Conservative MP Blackstrap 2000-present

Scientists

• Asaf Durakovic - physician and expert in nuclear medicine and depleted uranium, poet

Media

• Daniella Pavičić - singer
• Ivan Hrvatska - singer

Actors

Steve Bacic

Stana Katic

Athletes

• Sandra Bezic - Figure Skating
• Val Bezic - Figure Skating
• George Chuvalo - Boxer
• Frank Dancevic - Tennis player
• Joseph Cattarinich - Hockey player
• Dan Kordic - Hockey player
• John Kordic - Hockey player
• Frank Mahovlich - Hockey player
• Peter Mahovlich - Hockey player
• Tony Mandarich - NFL player
• George Pesut - Hockey player
• Joe Sakic - Hockey player
• Paul Spoljaric - Baseball player
• Ante Jazic - Soccer player
• Nick Dasovic - Soccer player
• Marc-Édouard Vlasic - Hockey player
• Cory Sarich - Hockey player

Political Activists

• Gojko Susak
• Madeline-Ann Aksich

See also

• Croatian American
• Croats of Chile

External links

• History of Croatian Canadians
• Statistics Canada