Land of the Loon

[da]

Friday's citizenship ceremony was a reasonably banal exercise in officialdom (not High Officialdom, but certainly not minimal either). The judge was the same man who presided over melted_snowball's citizenship last year. There were 48 New Canadians, from 20 countries. Unlike d's, there was no one from Iran or Afghanistan. The judge spoke at length about the importance of being citizens. Karen Redman, the MP for the downtown area (but not for us), spoke and handed out our citizenship packets.

They gave us pins celebrating this being Canada's 60th year of citizenship. That still catches me; 61 years ago, Canadians were all British subjects.

Because some of the new citizens were from part of La Francophonie (Senegal?), we affirmed our Citizenship in both English and French. Apparently they only do the French during an English-language ceremony at the judge's discretion, plus they have less frequent French-language ceremonies as well.

In case you're curious: the Oath of Citizenship goes like so: "I affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen." "J'affirme solennellement que je serai fidèle et porterai sincère allégeance à Sa Majesté la Reine Elizabeth Deux, Reine du Canada, à ses héritiers et successeurs, que j'observerai fidèlement les lois du Canada et que je remplirai loyalement mes obligations de citoyen canadien."

My parents took us out to lunch downtown, and my mom said she wants to go see a US Citizenship ceremony to compare. We expected that it would invoke the flag more, and likely involve a metal-detector.

On the whole, the ceremony was less of a big deal than graduation, but more of a big deal than turning 30. For me, the real big deal was Friday night, when we had something like 30 or 35 people here for the party!

What a lot of fun, from start to end. The only real disappointment was not having enough time to spend with everyone- it felt like a very short 5 or so hours to me!

Our old neighbours David and Lesley (and kids L. and A.) came. ..We'd really like them to be happy in Toronto, but we're doing our best to influence them to move back here. David's first comment was, "So this means that if you've sworn allegiance to the Queen, if we badmouth her, you have to beat us up?" Um, no. But since we're pacifists, must we have someone else beat them up? This led to the question of who at the party had actually sworn allegiance, versus being born in Canada or moving here as a kid. I've done a quick run-through of people at the party, and unless I'm mistaken, I think the only people who have declared citizenship were Karl, Jennifer, and Dan, all three of us Quakers. Huh. So I wonder whether there were any other declared Canadian citizens at the party?

You lot didn't drink as much as we expected. I am terribly terribly disappointed. Also, my parents weren't scandalized, though I don't know where they were during the Cleavage-Off that eventually went on in the living-room. Heh, I think I was talking to my Mom then, as she was trying to figure out who she'd just been talking to. My parents were both convinced I have great friends, and I'm certainly inclined to agree. If you were there and I didn't introduce you to my parents, I'm very sorry- I had tried to make that work.

What a great way to end the party; chilling with about fifteen of you LJ lot in the living-room, complete with back rubs and mellow conversation. Have I mentioned recently how grateful I am to have friends like you folk?

And additionally, a public thanks for all your party contributions.

Notable at the moment: fuzzpsych's record album whose title (and soon, image) are at top of this post. :)

Comments

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

I attended the citizenship ceremony for a friend's mother several years back. It was held in the auditorium of the Bryant Adult Education Center in Alexandria, VA.

An INS official presided. He thanked them for their years of living and working here, explained how they'd be able to vote now, then asked them to stand, and they repeated an oath:

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God. In acknowledgement whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

Though in her ceremony, they ommitted the phrase "… that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform non-combatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by law…" probably because they were all old enough not te be impacted by Selective Service requirements.

They were called up one at a time after that and given their certificates of citizenship and a flag.

[melted-snowball.livejournal.com]

There was one Afghan-Canadian at your ceremony.

lovecraftienne is a citizen by naturalization.
I can't think of any others...

[ketzie.livejournal.com]

The allegience to the royals thing sticks in my craw. I'll probably do it anyway, though.

[valkryor.livejournal.com]

Queen Elizabeth II is the head of our government, but she's more of a figurehead in that she signs major national documents (like the Canada Act in 1982, severing all ties of rule with the British Parliment/Monarchy) and is on Canadian money.

[poeticalpanther.livejournal.com]

I am a naturalised Canadian; I affirmed my oath (rather than swearing, which was apparently uncommon enough in 1983 that they had to go look up whether that was allowed). But I have taken the oath twice, actually - once for my military service, and subsequently for my citizenship. Canadian immigrants were then allowed to serve for up to six months before receiving citizenship, so I actually signed up as a soldier before I was actually Canadian. Same Queen, though, so no difficulty there.

[melted-snowball.livejournal.com]

The right to affirm, not swear, is actually a consequence of Quakerism.

(Matthew 5:37 says, "But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." As such, Quakers do not swear oaths.)

[poeticalpanther.livejournal.com]

Well, I didn't know that. I was glad to be able to, though, because already at 17 I knew that making an oath on a god in which I didn't believe felt like being false.

[da-lj.livejournal.com]

I'd guessed that your British citizenship, and moving here young enough, would mean that you received Canadian citizenship without any swearin'.

[icedrake.livejournal.com]

I, having sworn the same oath you have, would volunteer t beat up any bad-mouthers of Her Majesty, should the need arise.(I first wrote it as "bat-mouthers," and am now fighting bizarre visuals)

[da-lj.livejournal.com]

It's likely that bats22 would prefer not to mouth the Queen. For what it's worth.

[dawn-guy.livejournal.com]

Liz was a hottie when she was young, but it seems disrespectful to mouth her.

On the other hand, take my word for it that her representative in Canada is someone worth overcoming that disrespect for.

[melted-snowball.livejournal.com]

I think I have a hard time thinking of Queen Bettie as a hottie.

[dawn-guy.livejournal.com]

Some of the early portraits of Her Majesty show a certain something, particularly when taken in the context of the times.

It may well be that I have unconventional tastes in women.

[melted-snowball.livejournal.com]

I can see "regal", but not "hot".

[da-lj.livejournal.com]

Agreed, Michaëlle Jean is a babe.

But, I think I have a hard time thinking of Queen Liz as a hottie, in any way, shape, or form. Sorry. :)

[sulle-stelle.livejournal.com]

FUN! I wish I could have been there!

[fuzzpsych.livejournal.com]

I was actually born in England, and my parents came here when I was 6 months old. I became a citizen when I was about 11, but don't recall any ceremony--just a certificate that came in the mail.

Congratulations!

[lee-ellen.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry that Diane and I didn't make it to the party but it sounds like you had a great time.

I've attended a US Citizenship ceremony. There was some attention paid to the flag, and the pledge of allegiance was recited, and local important citizens spoke. Actually, I think the two countries' ceremonies might be pretty similar.

Re: Congratulations!

[da-lj.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

That does sound similar.

I'm trying to convince my parents to move to Ithaca, by the way. Mom is thinking she'd like to live at Ecovillage. Now both she and I need to work on my father, who might never retire ever ever.