Forty-one individuals gathered at Kelowna's Innovation Centre this morning to receive their Canadian Citizenship.
The ceremony was hosted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship.
Deputy Mayor Mohini Singh joined local officials who sat on the platform party for the ceremony.
She shared some words of advice, remembering the day she received her citizenship.
“Serve your community and serve your country with your heart and your soul. However big or small it is, whether it’s a community initiative or city-wide initiatives, anything you do, do it with an open heart and your country will serve you well,” said Singh.
Singh emigrated from India in 1983 and became a Canadian in 1989.
She worked for Global Okanagan prior to being elected to City Council in 2011, where she has served three terms.
“One of the great benefits of living here is you can celebrate your culture, celebrate your traditions , honour each other’s ethnic backgrounds, honour each other’s traditions and participate in it while upholding the responsibility of Canadian citizenship.”
Singh added that people who live in Canada are very fortunate to be able to do so.
She thanked the group for choosing Canada and wished them success and happiness, adding, humorously, that they had chosen the best region in the best province to live in.
Before each ceremony, citizenship candidates attend a roundtable discussion at which they can discuss their hopes for the direction of the country, and for their lives in Canada.
For Mario Rodriguez, it’s a huge relief to finally be through the process.
Becoming a Canadian resident and pursuing citizenship has taken him nine years.
“It’s amazing; it’s a big country with a lot of opportunities. A beautiful country of course, so I am very proud to have become a Canadian.”
Rodriguez has a five year old daughter.
Now that he can move forward, his plan is to work hard for her and show her more about Canada and what it has to offer.