A couple weeks ago my brother finally became a Canadian Citizen and Little Monkey and I attended his Oath Ceremony. It has been a long journey for him but he finally has the chance to get his hands on a Canadian Passport and become a true Canadian, which will make travelling much easier for him. Attending the ceremony reminded me quite a bit of my own oath ceremony back in July 2011 (on our 2nd wedding anniversary) when I was seven months pregnant with Little Monkey.
Many have asked what the Oath Ceremony process is like and having attended one recently I finally remember all the details and thought we’d share our experience. Family and friends are welcomed to attend the Oath Ceremony and are seated in designated areas inside the court room. Yes it’s all very official and proper court etiquette is expected.. I got reprimanded for wearing my sunglasses on my head and for trying to bring food into the court room! oops! There is a table right outside so you can leave your food and drink there which makes it a bit easier if attending with kids. I was hoping to keep Little Monkey busy with raisins but that plan didn’t work. Despite all the rules you are allowed to click as many pictures as you want as they do want you to remember this most special occasion.
My brother had to stand in line to get his paperwork checked and then he was seated in a section with other oath takers. Little Monkey started to whine at one point and so I marched her out where we were able to watch the ceremony as there was a live stream available in the lounge area. Many parents were doing the same as there were a couple toddlers and newborns in attendance. We were out only for about ten minutes of the 2 hour ceremony so it wasn’t too bad.
My ceremony was only an hour from start to finish but this one took two hours between checking all the paperwork, speeches, the actual handover of the citizenship papers and the singing of the national anthem. Quite a few things happen at the ceremony but it’s all very organized. The afternoon started with a warm welcome and a video of the different provinces and the new Canadians who now live in each – it’s hard not to feel pride in being a Canadian after watching that video! The judge (who we found out was a friend of mine’s uncle!!!) was funny and endearing as he spoke about his own view of being Canadian and his own journey. He is the one who shook each and every new immigrant’s hands and gladly took pictures with each and every person.
Things do move quickly but come prepared for a two hour stint and if you attend the ceremony at the Mississauga location, be sure to drop enough money into the parking meter or else you’ll be ducking out mid ceremony to top it off (yes that happened to us!). Luckily you could pop in and out of the courtroom without any issues and no one gave us the stink eye. At the end of the ceremony those who took the oath not only receive a certificate but they also get anCultural Access Pass which will allow them to explore many parks and museums throughout Canada. I regret not putting my pass to good use and hope my brother does!
If you have the chance to attend a Citizenship Ceremony in Canada, take the opportunity to hear the stories, watch the emotions of those taking the oath and most of all, to remind yourself of the pride and privilege we have in being Canadian. A good percentage of Canadians arrived here as immigrants and most of us still have roots in another country that we also think of as ‘home’ and yet, we all take great pride in being Canadian. Canada is a melting pot of cultures and the Canadian Citizenship Ceremony reminds one of the multicultural mosaic that is Canada.
