7 August  2020, Calgary – Mayor Richard Ireland of Jasper, Alberta, conveyed to Consul General to Calgary Zaldy Patron his appreciation for the Filipinos in Jasper during the latter’s courtesy call on him on 31 July 2020.

 

Jasper, a town of 5,000 people, is the commercial center of Jasper National Park in the Province of Alberta, Canada. Each year, the town is visited by about two million Canadian and foreign tourists.

 

Consul General Patron introduced to Mayor Ireland the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Calgary and its consular services for the Filipinos. Consul General Patron indicated to Mayor Ireland the PCG’s interest and readiness to work with his office to promote the welfare of the Filipinos in Jasper.

 

According to the association Jasper Filipino-Canadian Community, there are about 350 individual Filipino residents in Jasper, 204 of whom are working adults.

 

Mayor Ireland, the first Mayor of Jasper, told Consul General Patron that he was grateful for the contributions of the Filipino workers in Jasper because most of them work in the tourism industry, which is the backbone of Jasper’s economy. According to the Mayor, he has supported every opportunity to increase the number of Filipino temporary foreign workers, whom he described as industrious and hard working, in Jasper.  Mayor Ireland also commented most favorably on the Filipino community’s positive contributions to Jasper’s cultural vibrancy. 

Joining the meeting of the Consul General and the Mayor were Mr. & Mrs. Facundo and Roberta Tio-Tio, one of the longest Filipino-Canadian permanent settlers in Jasper. Mrs. Tio-Tio came to Jasper 27 years ago, followed by her husband five years later. They were originally from Benguet Province, Philippines

While in Jasper, Consul General Patron also briefed some members of the Jasper Filipino-Canadian Community about the PCG’s consular services and the health protocols currently in place in the PCG to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.