Scarborough residents officially call Canada home.
Alan Al-Dabbagh, 14, right front, his sister Amanda, 12, mother Marlene and father Abdulla take the oath of citizenship during a citizenship ceremony held at the Scarborough YMCA on Tuesday. The family left Iraq in 2001 and arrived in Toronto in 2005. They joined a group of 50 new Canadians participating in the event.
Staff photo/BRAD PRITCHARD
Fifty people from 21 different countries are now calling Canada their official home after becoming Canadian citizens at a ceremony held at the Scarborough YMCA on Tuesday, March 16.
In addition to obtaining their citizenship certificates, these new Canadians took part in an hour-long roundtable discussion, sharing stories of how they were brought here and what kind of future they plan to build for themselves.
The event was organized by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and Citizenship and Immigration Canada to help forge the connection between new Canadians and their communities.
At one point during an open mic session, soon-to-be citizens talked about the challenges they faced in their country of origin, and how it stacks up to life here in Canada.
Scarborough resident Alan Al-Dabbagh, 14, originally from Iraq, says when his family arrived in Toronto in the winter of 2005, the first thing that took them off-guard was the weather.
"We (my family) arrived at the airport in T-shirts and shorts," he said. "Seeing snow for the first time was a big surprise."
Alan's family left Iraq prior to the invasion in 2003, but he said the conditions at the time were "horrible", and that they faced discrimination for their religious beliefs. He added the ongoing violence and a lack of education opportunities continually threatened their livelihood.
"To tell you how much Canada differs from Iraq, you could fill books," said his father Abdulla, who recently bought a home in Scarborough for his wife and two kids. "Nothing is similar. Here we don't face security issues or persecution. Here we have a voice."
While Alan and his family are feeling more comfortable here as every year passes, he's still noticing things he's not accustomed to.
"People here actually line up in order to get on the bus," he said with a bewildered look on his face. "And I never saw a dog on the bus before either!"
Before the official ceremony started, Judge Phillip Gaynor emphasized the importance of becoming a citizen.
"It means more than getting a piece of paper," he said. "It's about sharing a set of common goals and values," such as voting, respecting laws, and helping the less fortunate, he added.
"By becoming Canadian citizens, you are publicly saying you want to share Canada's future for generations to come."