Laura Bulger, a Portuguese immigrant, was one of the first teachers of her heritage to work at the Toronto District School Board. Her passion for her culture shone through in her support of other immigrants, especially children, as she helped them maintain a sense of identity through the Portuguese language.
Teacher and Portuguese Language & Culture Advocate | 1939-2015
Leaving a home she loved in Lisbon for a life beyond the reach of Antonio Salazar’s dictatorship, Laura Bulger along with her Canadian husband, settled in Toronto in 1966. Although her heart would remain in Portugal, she brought her passion for Portuguese language and culture with her. University-educated and fluent in English, Bulger quickly set to work on ensuring that the children of Portuguese immigrants maintained their ability to speak the language. This advocacy extended to contributing to the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Culture’s curriculum on Multiculturalism as it related to Portuguese heritage.
Bulger would become one of the first Portuguese teachers in the Toronto District School Board and go on to teach at the University of Toronto and co-found the Portuguese Studies program at York University.