The Erin Mills resident's excitement was evident today as he took his oath of Canadian citizenship at a special ceremony held at Burnhamthorpe Community Centre.
Just prior to the ceremony, Salim and 79 other newcomers, who also received their citizenship, participated in the first-ever Community Citizenship Committee of Peel's roundtable discussion. The idea for a community citizenship ceremony was the brainchild of Canada's former Governor-General, Adrienne Clarkson, who wanted a new Canadian's first day as a citizen to be filled with warmth and pride.
Participants, who immigrated to Canada from countries such as Mexico, Peru, Nigeria, the Philippines and India, shared highlights of their initial struggles here and other experiences.
“The best part about Canada is the people, who have been kind and receptive to my family and me,” said Salim, who came from Pakistan four years ago. “Many people, when they heard I was a newcomer, wanted to hear my story.”
Even though the voices at the 10 or so tables inside the community centre were different, the stories were largely the same. Almost everyone talked about the challenges of learning to drive a car, speaking the language, finding a job and understanding the social and cultural nuances of their new country.
Some newcomers recalled the joy of watching their first snowfall and how, as winter progressed, they soon came to dread the falling white flakes.
Andrea Seepersaud, executive director of Inter-Cultural Neighbourhood Social Services and chair of the Community Citizenship Committee of Peel, said this is the first such roundtable in Peel organized by the group.
She said the community citizenship ceremony has three components: a roundtable discussion, a formal citizenship ceremony and an opportunity for newcomers to interact with well-known citizens from their community.
“The roundtable discussion created a friendly, cozy and fuzzy atmosphere in the room for the new citizens,” Seepersaud said. “As an executive director of a settlement agency, the kind of information generated here becomes crucial for me. It helps me build programs and services that address some of their concerns.”
Chuck Ealey, CFL Rookie of the Year in 1972, was on hand at today's ceremony to share his own experiences. He became a Canadian citizen three years ago.
“When I took my citizenship oath, I was impressed by the amount of diversity in the room,” said Ealey, who moved here from the U.S. “When I came to Canada, I fell in love (with the country) and even though I had an option to go back, I chose not to.”
rpanjwani@mississauga.net
