Ottawa, October 14, 2011 – Next week, Canadians across the country will be encouraged to celebrate their citizenship and reflect on what it means to them to be Canadian.
“Citizenship Week is an opportunity for Canadians across the country to celebrate their citizenship and to learn more about Canada’s history and the pioneers who helped build this great country,” said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.
During Citizenship Week, which runs from October 17 to 23, approximately 4,700 people will enjoy the special honour of becoming citizens, taking the Oath at more than 60 special citizenship ceremonies in communities across the country. Many more Canadians will reaffirm their commitment to Canada at community events throughout the week.
Minister Kenney will kick-off the week’s celebrations by attending a special ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, at which citizenship judges will be awarded heraldic badges in honour of their contribution. Later that morning, he will participate in “Are You Smarter than a Tenth Grader,” a game show-style event with high school civics students. The event will be hosted by Historica-Dominion Institute, and held at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
Again this year, CIC is inviting Canadians to celebrate Citizenship Week by joining the conversation on Twitter and Facebook, where newcomers and established Canadians of all ages are invited to share their views on Canadian citizenship and discuss our rights and responsibilities.
Enthusiasm for Canadian citizenship continues to be demonstrated through the popularity of the citizenship study guide, Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Canadian Citizenship. The guide is popular among citizenship applicants and established Canadians alike. Since its release, more than 600,000 copies of the guide have been distributed, and many more thousand copies have been downloaded.
In 2010, more than 143,000 newcomers became citizens, each embracing the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship.
For more information on Canada’s Citizenship Week, including a list of citizenship ceremonies in your region, and details on organizing a reaffirmation ceremony, visit www.cic.gc.ca.
Photo of Minister Kenney available at: www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/photos/high-res/index.asp
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CitImmCanada
For further information (media only), please contact:
Candice Malcolm
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada’s economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
