More than 60 new Canadians sworn in at citizenship ceremony in Ottawa to kick off 'Welcoming Week'
Sept. 13 to 22 is 'Welcoming Week' across Canada. To kick off celebrations in Ottawa, dozens of newcomers were welcomed to the country at Friday's Canadian Citizenship Ceremony.
It's a day Raina Ahmed and her family have been waiting for, for years. "We came here for safety, for the future of our kids, for the career of me and my husband as we are physicians, and for a better life."
Amid a doctor shortage across Canada, the ceremony is a warm welcome for Ahmed and her husband. The physicians and their 5 children, originally from Sudan, are all now Canadian citizens.
It's also a day Iris & Laris Nkunzimana won't ever forget. "It was a prideful moment," said Iris, "I really can not describe the feeling, it was just overwhelming."
After a seven-year process, the sisters are celebrating with extended family as Canadians. "The best part was getting my certificate, and hearing all the other stories of the people and how they got here," said Laris.
More than 60 people from 25 from countries were sworn in at Friday's ceremony at the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Offices on Queen Street in Ottawa, where Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, led the Oath of Citizenship.
"I'm so proud, I'm so honored to be welcoming people who have left their own countries to come and get established in a new place, a new country, a new culture", said Citizenship Judge Raina Sfeir. "I'm originally from Lebanon. When I came here, I was 30 years old. I took the decision to bring my family, my husband, my two kids to this country, striving a better life--in fact, Canada gave me all what I was dreaming of, all what I was aiming for."
New Canadian citizen Anderson Olivira Sousa said, "Initially I came here to study, and then I fell in love with the country; it's a beautiful country. I made connections here too, and I decided to stay." The Software Engineer originally from Brazil, also found love in Canada with his girlfriend, Angela Wang-Lin, by his side during Friday's ceremony. "She was with me for the majority of my journey, so I'm happy that she's with me here," said Sousa with a smile.
"I'm very happy he's now a Canadian. We can cheer for hockey together," joked Wang-Lin.
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