Celebrating Canadian Citizenship
October 10, 2014 — Ottawa — Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander invites Canadians to take part in Citizenship Week 2014 activities happening in communities across Canada next week.
Citizenship Week is an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the rights we enjoy, the values we share, and responsibilities that bind us together. It is also an ideal time for all Canadians to reaffirm their citizenship as a sign of their pride in the traditions, history and institutions that make Canada so strong, prosperous and free.
Canada will welcome more than 5,000 new citizens at about 85 citizenship ceremonies across the country next week, including three enhanced citizenship ceremonies to be held in partnership with National Hockey League (NHL) teams, at the following NHL games:
• Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings, Friday, October 17, Air Canada Centre, Toronto
• Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks, Friday, October 17, Rexall Place, Edmonton
• Vancouver Canucks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, Saturday, October 18, Rogers Arena, Vancouver
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has also launched an online interactive map that will help individuals across Canada find a citizenship ceremony being held in their area throughout the week.
Canadians are encouraged to use social media throughout Citizenship Week to share how they plan to celebrate their Canadian identity using the Twitter hashtag #CanadaProud.
Quick facts
• Since 2006, Canada has enjoyed the highest sustained levels of immigration in Canadian historyan average of 250,000 newcomers each year.
• Canada has one of the highest rates of naturalization in the world: over 85 percent of eligible permanent residents become Canadian citizens.
• Since 2006, Canada has welcomed more than 1.5 million new Canadians.
• The theme of Citizenship Week 2014 is Our Citizenship: #CanadaProud.
• On June 19, 2014, Bill C-24, the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, became law. The new provisions strengthen the integrity of the citizenship system and reduce processing times for citizenship applications.
Quote
“Citizenship Week provides an opportunity for us all to reflect on what it means to be Canadian. Our government is proud of our changes to the Citizenship Act which are already speeding up processing for new Canadians and reinforcing the value of what it means to be Canadian.
“I encourage all Canadians to use this opportunity to celebrate the unparalleled opportunities and immense privileges that come with being Canadian.”
Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister
Related product
Government welcomes Royal Assent of Bill C-24
Associated links
For more information, visit the new online map.
Citizenship Week
Information on how to host or organize a reaffirmation ceremony.
Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CitImmCanada
Photos of Minister Alexander available at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/photos/index.asp
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Kevin Menard 10/12/2014 |
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