15 APRIL 2025, VANCOUVER, BC. The Philippine Consulate General attended the commemorative ceremony of the 96th Death Anniversary of Benjamin “Benson” Flores, the first Filipino on record to have immigrated to Canada, on 11 April 2025 at the Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver, BC. The event was organized by the United Filipino Canadian Associations in British Columbia (UFCABC).
The event was attended by Don Davies, MP Vancouver-Kingsway; Mable Elmore, Deputy Speaker for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and MLA for Vancouver-Kensington, and; Vancouver Deputy Mayor Mike Klassen.
In his remarks at the commemoration ceremony, Vice Consul Harder shared his personal insights about the life and legacy Mr. Flores, alluding to this life as a fisherman and life by the sea as an expression of how, in a way, he brought the archipelago with him when he moved to Canada. He also referenced his adaptability in this new environment and how this trait is shared by the Filipino diaspora all over the world.
After the ceremony, the Knights of Columbus led a march to Mr. Flores’ gravesite to allow attendees to lay their offerings of flowers and prayers.
Benjamin “Benson” Flores (1846-1929) was the first Filipino on record to have immigrated to Canada, settling in Bowen Island, British Columbia. In 2024, the City of Vancouver declared 11 April as Benson Flores Day. END
