You Took the Oath on Canada Day — What New Citizens Should Do Next
The rain that washed out Ottawa's Canada Day fireworks did not stop the morning's main event. At 10 a.m. yesterday, 52 people from 26 countries took the oath of citizenship at a special ceremony in the capital, presided over by Citizenship Judge Rania Sfeir and attended by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab, with the proceedings streamed live on YouTube. By evening, roughly 100 mm of rain had flooded roads, knocked out power and forced the city to cancel its show at LeBreton Flats. By then, the new citizens had long since taken their oath.
They were not alone. At The Forks in Winnipeg, 23 new Canadians were welcomed on July 1. Ceremonies were also held in Alberta, and in Collingwood, Ontario, the town carried on its annual tradition of a citizenship reaffirmation ceremony and a giant cake.
In her official Canada Day statement, Minister Diab described a country where "diversity is celebrated, our values unite us," and noted that citizenship ceremonies were taking place in every corner of the country.
For those who raised their right hand yesterday, though, July 2 is when the practical work starts. Becoming a citizen changes a surprising amount of paperwork, and it pays to be organized in the first weeks.
Keep the certificate safe
After the oath, new citizens receive a citizenship certificate. It is the foundation for everything that follows: proof of citizenship for a passport application and for updating government records. The original should be stored somewhere secure, treated like a birth certificate rather than a receipt. Copies are useful for personal files, but the original is the document that matters.
Passport, voting and the rest of the list
The Canadian passport is usually the first big step, and the citizenship certificate is the proof the application relies on. Newly minted citizens can also register to vote in federal elections, something permanent residents cannot do, and should make sure their Social Insurance Number record reflects their new status. Employers, banks and provincial agencies may need updated information over time. None of it is urgent the day after the ceremony, but a simple checklist keeps things from slipping while the certificate is still in its envelope.
It also helps to remember that ceremonies like yesterday's happen year-round. During Citizenship Week in April, about 6,000 new Canadians from 40 countries were welcomed at events across the country; Canada Day simply puts the brightest spotlight on a process that never stops. Collingwood's reaffirmation ceremony makes the same point from the other direction, with existing citizens retaking the oath symbolically. Cake included.
The Ottawa fireworks were a casualty of the weather. The oath was not. For the 52 in Ottawa, the 23 in Winnipeg and the new citizens welcomed in Alberta and beyond, the celebration was the easy part. The to-do list that follows is short, and it is worth doing well.