Fifty people from 21 countries become Canadian citizens at special Canada Day ceremony in Edmonton
On Wednesday, new citizens reflected on their journeys to Canada, including the Banwait family, separated for four years before reuniting on the country's birthday.
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Fifty people from 21 countries became Canadian citizens at a special ceremony in Edmonton on Wednesday, July 1, hosted by the Ismaili Council for Edmonton. For some, the timing held particular weight amid Alberta's ongoing separation debate.
Damanjit Banwait moved to Canada from India in 2017 alone, spending four years away from his wife Avneet and child while they remained in India. He became a citizen earlier this year; on Canada Day, he watched his wife take the oath alongside their newborn — the first in their immediate family born on Canadian soil. "It was for the future of our kids," Avneet said.
Onyinye Muorah, an internationally trained pharmacist, said one reason she came to Canada was because she saw a need for people in her profession. She described the moment as "surreal." Her sister Vivian, not yet a citizen, watched from the audience and felt inspired. "It gives me hope that one day, I could be a Canadian citizen," she said.
Justice James Clover opened the ceremony by quoting Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, who received citizenship certificate #0001 at the first formal citizenship ceremony roughly 80 years ago: "the unity of Canada is vital to the continued existence of Canada." Clover noted the symbolism — Canada was then recovering from the Second World War and working to knit itself together over vast geography and regional divisions.
NDP MLAs David Eggen and David Shepherd attended to welcome the new citizens. Shepherd noted in his speech that the group now has the ability to vote on Alberta's future in the October referendum asking whether the province should hold a binding secession vote.
When asked how it feels to be a new Canadian in Alberta as separation discussions intensify, Onyinye said she doesn't believe secession is likely, though the debate has made her wonder if she chose the right province. She hopes Alberta stays and said she'd love to keep living in Edmonton. Damanjit said he never considered Alberta would need to separate and also hopes the province remains. "It's good to be Canadian," he said.
