Dozens become Canadian citizens on Canada Day during ceremony at Vaughan City Hall

Yorkregion.com
July 1, 2016
By Jeremy Grimaldi

When Guilherme and Mirian Cadar came to Canada to study English as two students, they had no idea they would eventually make the Great White North their home.

But here they stood, all those years later, on Canada Day; Mirian draped in a Canadian flag and Guilherme sporting a red cowboy hat.

"We came for a vacation from Brazil and we just fell in love with the country and the people,” said Guilherme. “Everyone is made to feel so welcome here.”

"It's about the diversity, the honesty and the people," Miriam added.

The happy couple was just two of the 30 new Canadians welcomed into the country as citizens today at Vaughan City Hall during a ceremony overseen by Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Ontario's Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell.

Scanning the room, there were countless smiling faces, all new Canadians and their families, revelling in the freedom and opportunity of their new country.

Among them was Dr. Hamid Paknahad, an orthodontist in Tehran, Iran, who spent years attempting to pass the dental exam in Canada, before eventually succeeding and becoming a licenced dentist. He took part in the ceremony accompanied by his two sons.

"I am very happy because I love Canada," he said. "This country has lots of freedom. The boys can attend mixed schools and learn to relate to the other sex."

Muhammad Chiblee arrived from Bangladesh in 2012 and became an IT consultant. Becoming Canadian is a great feeling, but doing it on Canada Day is just the icing on the cake, he said.

"Before I was in fear; now I can say, I am Canadian," he said, a huge grin on his face.

Michael, Anat and Max, 5, all became Canadian citizens after leaving Russia and then Israel to make their homes in Ontario.

"It's a fantastic country to live and grow our kids," said Michael. "We want to develop ourselves and grow with the country. It's a peaceful place where everyone feels welcome."

Commander Robert Johnston of The Royal Canadian Navy, and based at HMCS York, said he always uses these ceremonies to remind himself just how lucky he and all other Canadians are to live in this country.

"I think about what it must be like to leave one place to get to another,” he said. “It gives me time to reflect on how lucky we are to be citizens of this country.”

For Mayor Bevilacqua it is his desire to witness people wanting to give their best, grow and build the country that affects him most.

"It's about people coming from around the world and giving their best," he said. "It warms my heart to see so many join the Canadian family."