Canada’s annual Citizenship Week celebrations officially came to a close yesterday, as 21 of the country’s newest citizens took the Oath of Citizenship in a special ceremony held prior to an Ottawa Senators ice hockey game.
Citizenship Week 2013 in Canada
Over the past week, more than 4,400 people from all around the world have become Canadian citizens in 58 ceremonies held across the country.
Citizenship Week had featured special events across Canada which focused on the rights, privileges and responsibilities new citizens have to their adopted home country. And Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said that ending the week with a special Citizenship Ceremony at an ice hockey game couldn’t have been a more apt conclusion to the celebrations.
“Hockey has long been Canada’s most popular sport, not to mention our country’s national winter sport,” he said. “Welcoming new Canadians by involving them in one of country’s finest sporting traditions is a great way to make their moment of citizenship even more memorable.”
In order to be eligible for citizenship, an applicant must be aged over 18 and have lived in Canada as a permanent resident for at least three years (1,095 days) in the past four years prior to applying.
All applicants must also sit and pass a citizenship test which shows they understand the rights, responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, such as voting in elections and obeying the law. Citizenship applicants will also be quizzed on the country’s history, values, institutions and symbols.
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Article published 28th October 2013
Canadian Citizenship Week