Citizenship and Immigration Canada announces citizenship week

This year is the 59th anniversary of Canadian citizenship.

Canada’s Citizenship Week is intended to encourage all Canadians to reflect on the value of citizenship, what it means to be Canadian and the rights, privileges and responsibilities of citizenship.

Prior to 1947 Canadians were considered British subjects who simply lived in Canada and only the Prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King became the first Canadian citizen that year as Canada became the first Commonwealth country to gain its own citizenship act. To date almost 5.7 million people have been granted Canadian citizenship.

Citizenship grants have been rising by 2% each year. In the year 2005, 2575 citizenship ceremonies were held across Canada and 196,068 individuals took the oath of citizenship.

The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, this week launched Canada’s Citizenship Week 2006 by taking part in a special citizenship ceremony to swear in 35 new Canadians.

“Citizenship Week is a time to celebrate our shared values as Canadians and recognize that as citizens, we have a responsibility to uphold these values,” said Minister Solberg. “I am honoured to launch this Citizenship Week by welcoming Canada's newest citizens. New Canadians make a significant social, economic and cultural contribution to the country, and they play a crucial role in building a better Canada.”

Citizenship Judge Suzanne Pinel presided over the ceremony, held at the Terry Fox Canadian Youth Centre, headquarters of Historica Encounters. Encounters is a one-week program of Canadian studies which brings together young Canadians from different backgrounds and regions to learn about one another and discover their country. The 110 young people participating in Historica Encounters attended this special ceremony.


Alice Daghavarian, Director of Immigration Services.