Before Canada celebrates its 150th Anniversary on July 1st, series of ceremonies on citizenship accross the country were being held. Just as the one held in Calgary, Alberta where Canadian citizenship was granted to 90 people from 23 different countries who have chosen to live in Canada where they think they found diversity, multiplicity and better opportunity.
Thea Eustaquio from Manila, Philippines, poses for a portrait during a Canadian citizenship ceremony in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, May 25, 2017. Eustaquio said: “I want to come to Canada because of wider job opportunities, high quality education, health benefits, visa free travel for almost all countries across the globe and multiculturalism.
Flor Majid who was originally from El Salvador was one among the fresh Canadian citizens who attended the ceremony. She said that she spent her high school days in Canada with other nationals and enjoyed her stay there for she gets along well with them.
Yosra Boudhrioua, originally from Tunisia, also shared that the first time she stepped in Canada in 2012 she was not fluent in English but now, she was already completing a degree in Canada and soon will become a teacher. She said she was happy of Canada’s immigration system because they offer free language classes and she ended up doing her passion.
Laarnice Batal from the island of Negros, Philippines poses for a portrait before her Canadian citizenship ceremony in Calgary, Alberta, Canada May 29, 2017. Batal said: “My husband was working here, and I chose Canada for our future, for the future of my kids
However, during Calgary’s ceremony, Citizenship Judge Joe Woodward told the new Canadians their responsibilities to contribute to society and “to keep Canada alive.”
“When you become a part of Canada, Canada becomes a part of you,” he said.
Another grantee of Citizenship was Sajedeh Ghassemi from Iran. She attended a ceremony in Missisauga, west of Toronto. She said that she considered being a Canadian citizen because she’ve seen better opportunites there as a Middle Eastern woman compared to their country.
A spokesman for the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada federal department said in a statement, “Canada will welcome a target of 300,000 new permanent residents in 2017.”
“Planned admissions for resettled refugees in 2017 is 25,000. Immigration continues to play a key role in contributing to Canada’s well-being, to our economic prosperity,” he added.
Despite President Donald Trump’s pending ban on visitors coming from several Muslim majority countries and a slap down on immigration violations, Canada remained open in embracing all fleeing war and persecution according to its Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Source : ABS-CBN
