Canadian Polish Congress (KPK) is a Canadian organization founded by Polish immigrants in 1944 to coordinate the activities of the Polish community in Manitoba and provide the Polish community with the opportunity to officially speak out on public issues.

A Short History of the Canadian Polish Congress- Manitoba District

The province of Manitoba, with its capital Winnipeg, has a prominent place in Congressional history. It was here that in 1932, on the initiative of the lawyer Bernard Bronisław Dubienski, under the name of the Association of Polish Societies in Canada, the first Polish organization was established, enabling the coordinated operation of the entire Polish community in Canada. In 1944, this organization gave rise to the Canadian Polish Congress, which then moved its main board to Toronto, where there was a larger Polish community.

Although the beginnings of the presence of Poles in Manitoba can be dated to the end of the 18th century, the largest influx of emigrants from Poland took place at the beginning of the 19th century. At that time, centrally located Winnipeg, where the Polish consulate office was located, became the main center of the Canadian Polish community. In the years when the Association of Polish Societies in Canada existed (1932-1944), there were two Polish Roman Catholic churches in Winnipeg (St. Spirit and St. John Kanty), one Polish National Church and several Polish organizations (Holy Ghost Fraternal Aid Society, St John Cantius Fraternal Aid Society, the Polish Gymnastic Association “Sokol” Br #1 in North End and the second “Sokol” Br. #2 in St. Boniface, and the publisher of the weekly “Czas”, the only Polish-language newspaper in Western Canada). The Polish Scouting Organization was established in 1935.

From the beginning of its existence, the Canadian Polish Congress, the Manitoba District, represents the Polish community in Manitoba in contacts with the authorities of the city of Winnipeg and the provincial government, and coordinates the activities of the local Polish community, especially in the field of learning Polish, as well as initiates the celebration of Polish national holidays, and until 1990 organized a political, financial and medical assistance for Poland.

Many Congress activists are also very active in local Canadian communities. Their contributions are recognized by federal and provincial governments.

For example:

B. B. Dubienski

Order of Canada – 1973

Queen’s Commander Order – 1977

Judge Peter Taraska

Order of Canada – 1982

Order of the Buffalo Hunt, Provost of the Hunt – 1983

Maria Adamowska-Panaro – known as “The Mother of the International Centre”

Order of Canada – 1983

Order of the Buffalo Hunt, Provost of the Hunt – 1982