About 22 new Canadian citizens were celebrated in Owen Sound recently.
A gathering was held at the Sydenham Campus May 15th, where people who have moved to Canada in recent years were presented with a certificate by Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Alex Ruff.
The YMCA Settlement and Language Services, Grey County, The Grey Bruce Local Immigration Partnership and Welcoming Communities Grey Bruce were there.
There were families from India, Kenya, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Pakistan, Iran and Mexico.
Each family has been living in Canada for at least three years before getting their citizenship.
Ruff says, “I really think it’s important for somebody to feel welcome when they become a new Canadian citizen.” He adds, “It’s an opportunity to make them feel welcome in the community, welcome to Canada and to show them respect and that we are an inclusive community that welcomes everybody.”
Deepikaa Gupta celebrated her citizenship, telling Bayshore Broadcasting News, “This is a very special moment, I just feel so honoured and grateful because I’ve joined a community, not just looking at the map– Grey Bruce is not just a map for me now, it’s home. With this citizenship i think I’ve got another added responsibility to be more responsible in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Gupta is a program manager for the Grey Bruce Local Immigration Partnership which is also looking to make rural communities more inclusive. She moved here from India with her husband and son about three and a half years ago.
Owen Sound City Councillor and Program Manger for Grey Bruce Settlement and Language Services Suneet Kukreja was at the celebration as well. She says her department is directly funded by the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. “One of our roles is that we assist newcomers, immigrants, landed immigrants and people of permanent resident status to make Grey and Bruce Counties their home,” says Kukreja.
Kukreja says that involves integrating into the community, helping them with things like applying for a social insurance number or a health card, or enrolling kids in school.
Meanwhile, Anshul and her husband Magesh also celebrated their citizenship Wednesday, after moving from India, eventually settling in Owen Sound and opening a physiotherapy business in the community. Anshul says they’ve been in the community since 2104 and in Canada since 2012. They’re just getting their full citizenship now “We took our time. And it wasn’t because we were hesitant, it’s just that life got in the way.” The family of four plus a cat had their permanent residency extended before getting their actual citizenship, which they did online.
They were supposed to have a ceremony in 2020, but the pandemic got in the way. Now, Anshul’s brother and his family are coming to stay with them as well.
Magesh says, “We love Canada so much that we are bringing our family here.”