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Toronto, October 19, 2012 — Fifty new Canadians originating from 19 countries took the Oath of Citizenship in a special ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame this evening.
“When a newcomer swears their Oath of Citizenship, our history becomes their history,”
said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. “Canada has a long history of excelling at winter sports, including hockey, and so it is entirely appropriate that these new Canadians will set out on their new journey from Canada’s Hockey Hall of Fame.”
The ceremony was sponsored by Canadian Tire. The Canadian retailer has partnered with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to highlight the important role of Canada’s winter sports tradition in our shared history as Canadian citizens. Through this partnership, CIC will reach hundreds of thousands of Canadians by way of distributing a direct-to-consumer postcard at Canadian Tire stores and via online promotional material.
“Our citizenship study guide, Discover Canada, showcases the importance of winter sports, and particularly hockey, to Canadian culture,”
the Minister noted. “This year marks the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series and the 25th anniversary of the 1987 Canada Cup and both of these remarkable Canadian moments serve as an appropriate historical backdrop to today’s ceremony, in this location in particular, which marks an important moment in the lives of these new Canadians.”
“As Canada’s Store, we are thrilled to be partnering with Minister Kenney and other notable guests to welcome some of Canada’s newest citizens at this citizenship ceremony,”
said Doug Nathanson, Senior Vice-President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Canadian Tire. “As one of Canada’s largest employers and most visited stores, we’re proud that our employees and customers represent the diversity that has come to define us as Canadians.”
On October 17, Canadian Tire also hosted a celebration of citizenship and hockey at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto. A citizenship reaffirmation ceremony that was open to all Canadians featured a mass swearing of the Great Canadian Oath. About 1,500 people took part in the event.
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For more information on Canadian Tire, please visit www.canadiantire.ca or www.facebook.com/canadiantire or follow Canadian Tire on Twitter at www.twitter.com/canadiantire.
Photo of Minister Kenney be available later today at: www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/photos/high-res/index.asp.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Alexis Pavlich
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada’s economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
