Greek-Canadians flock to Toronto's Greektown for Greek independence parade

Greek-Canadians were out in numbers Sunday to celebrate Greek Independence Day in Toronto's Greektown.

Diana Giannoulias said Greek-Canadians are very fortunate to live in a country where they are able to identify with their Greek culture.

"We're here celebrating and letting our kids be a part of the experience to understand what it is to have our freedom and democracy, which is very important in the world today," she told CBC Toronto.

"Without heritage, you lose a lot of your cultural identity. We are passing that down to our children. I feel they'll cherish it for years to come. Heritage is everything."

For Anna Maria Chrissanthakopoulos, it was an opportunity to reminisce of how things were back home.

"I'm supporting Greece, I'm supporting my country. It has a lot of problems right now, but still it's a beautiful country with beautiful people," she said.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne also joined in the celebration, while  Mayor John Tory and Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford also attended.

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Greek Independence Day celebrates the start of the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire in 1821.

Wynne visited a local pharmacy in the neighbourhood after the parade, where she spoke with supporters about her expansion of Ontario's pharmacare.

The policy means people aged 65 or older will no longer have to pay a deductible or co-payment for more than 4,400 prescription drugs as of Aug. 1.

It's one of the first policies to be rolled out by the Liberals ahead of the provincial election set for June 7.