Article Archives - Page 29 of 36 - Institute for Canadian Citizenship

Although Dana Cittadino first came to Canada from the United States back in 1988, she didn’t become a citizen until 2016. “Since coming to Canada my life has changed in wonderful ways,” says Dana. “I believe this is where I was meant to be, living in a culturally diverse country, where everyone is included!”

Now that Dana is a Canadian citizen, she very excited to vote in the Canadian elections. “I hope that by doing so I can make my voice heard and help to shape this wonderful country moving into the future,” Dana says.

Dana uses her Cultural Access Pass often, taking advantage of free entry at different museums and taking up offers for tickets to performing arts events. She also just booked a once-in-lifetime trip across Canada with VIA Rail using her CAP membership discount.

“Cultural places play a large role in building social inclusion by offering many different experiences for the whole population. By demonstrating all aspects of Canadian culture, people learn about and learn to love our differences,” says Dana. “Going to cultural places and spaces makes me feel very welcomed as a Canadian citizen due in part to the representation of all cultures that our museums and art galleries showcase.”

About CAP: For nearly 10 years, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) has delivered the Cultural Access Pass (CAP), an innovative, best-in-class program that gives new citizens access to Canadian culture. It’s time to shift CAP to the digital age. Support the ICC.

Be featured in our newsletter: Tag CAP and use the hashtag #CAPCanada in your social media posts for your chance to be the next CAP member or alumni featured.

In 2017-2018, the Canadian Opera Company (COC) continues its partnership with the Cultural Access Pass (CAP) program, offering new Canadian citizens the chance to experience the best of Canadian opera for free through their CAP membership. Canada’s largest opera company, the COC, has generously provided CAP with free tickets to select dress rehearsal performances during the 2017-2018 season, giving CAP members a unique opportunity to experience these world-class performances.

During this month alone, 80 tickets were delivered to CAP members for COC productions Arabella and Elixir of Love. More tickets will be delivered throughout the 2017-2018 season to dress rehearsal performances of The Abduction from the Seraglio, Rigoletto, The Nightingale and Other Short Fables, and Anna Bolena. If you are a CAP member, all you need to do is keep an eye on your inbox to hear about the next incredible offer from COC.

“By partnering with the CAP program, the COC welcomes Canada’s newest citizens, builds inclusion and belonging in Canada, and creates meaningful connections between new citizens and the performing arts,” says Yasmine Mohamed, Manager of the ICC’s CAP program. “We’re thrilled with this continued partnership, and the opportunities it offers to our program participants.”

“I am very proud of our partnership with the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and how we’ve been able to use a program such as the Cultural Access Pass to make it easier for new Canadians to engage with the COC and experience first-hand the performing arts available to them in Toronto,” says COC General Director Alexander Neef. “Connecting with new voices and perspectives is essential to exploring what our art form can mean in the 21st century, and the Cultural Access Pass plays a vital role in engaging a new generation of opera-goers and showing them what the COC has to offer.”

The Canadian Opera Company is a proud supporter of CAP and a generous partner of the ICC. You can learn more about them on their website at coc.ca.

The only program of its kind in the world, the ICC’s Cultural Access Pass gives new Canadian citizens the chance to explore, travel, and discover Canada during their first year of citizenship. The program depends entirely on a network of dedicated partners and supporters. For more information, visit culturalaccesspass.ca.

Nayaelah came to Canada with her family at the young age of thirteen. She says that as she grew up in Canada and integrated into Canadian society, she came to appreciate the country more and more. Nayaelah received her citizenship in 2014, completing her process in truly becoming a Canadian.

Nayaelah used her CAP card to visit local museums, but because she was working and going to school, she was unable to use it to travel that year. However, she since has been able to travel and has visited several museums, national parks and galleries. “I enjoy visiting cultural places as the diversity makes me feel welcome,” says Nayaelah, “I love learning from people of different cultural backgrounds.” She also encourages current CAP members to get out and use their CAP card during their first year of citizenship. “It’s a great way for new Canadians to explore the beauty of Canada,” says Nayaelah. “Canada has so much to offer, [and] it has really interesting people to learn from. With the Cultural Access Pass, Canadians can access those spaces and learn more about the country they live in.”

For Nayaelah, being an active citizen means giving back through volunteering and being active in one’s community. She has volunteered extensively, including tutoring youth, coaching children’s badminton, helping at fundraisers for different causes and spending time with seniors at a long-term care centre.

Now, at the age of only twenty-two, her main focus is running the non-profit organization that she started herself. Her organization, Empowerem, is a safe space initiative focused on providing marginalized, often racialized, newcomer Muslim female youth with programming that promotes social wellbeing, mental and physical health, and overall empowerment

“I am active in my community and love to help everyone – including people from other cultures – who share different practices and values from me,” says Nayaelah, “I think the best way to be Canadian is to give back to Canada in whatever way is possible for you.”

Be featured in our newsletter: Tag CAP and use the hashtag #CAPCanada in your social media posts for your chance to be the next CAP member or alumni featured.

“This country has been enriched by generations of people who have come from all over the world to make Canada a better place.” — The Right Honorable Beverley McLachlin, Chief Justice of Canada

The 2017 edition of 6 Degrees Citizen Space opened with a community citizenship ceremony, celebrating 50 new Canadian citizens with the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) and Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Every year the ICC hosts 75 community citizenship ceremonies across the country that take place in the hearts of communities in cultural, welcoming, public spaces. Each ceremony includes an engaging roundtable discussion where new citizens, and community members share their stories of immigration and reflect on what it means to be an active and engaged citizen. Discussions are facilitated by roundtable hosts who have been invited for their interest in diversity, inclusion, and connection to citizenship. Several of today’s roundtable hosts were 6 Degrees speakers, participants, and Junior Fellows. It was a unique opportunity for attendees coming from around the world to experience a Canadian citizenship ceremony, and have a global conversation on citizenship and inclusion with new citizens.

The ceremony was presided over by the Chief Justice of Canada, The Right Honourable, Beverley McLachlin, who began by acknowledging the role immigrants have played in shaping Canada by adding, “welcoming newcomers is the story of Canada.” The Chief Justice went on to thank today’s new citizens for embracing Canada and contributing to the country’s future, “while we don’t share the same past, we share a common future.”

Following the Oath of Citizenship, ICC co-chair, and former Governor General, The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson shared her thoughts on the value of citizenship, as well as her own personal story of coming to Canada as a young refugee and how she was received in her new country, “I was welcomed here. And today I welcome you.” In her closing remarks she emphasized the bravery in immigration, “anyone who comes here from another country has guts. We need people like you with courage.” ICC co-chair, John Ralston Saul concluded the speeches by encouraging new citizens to take advantage of the rights citizenship offers by voting and to give back to the community with volunteer work, “volunteering is the core of this society, and the road into full citizenship,” and to more importantly be engaged, “this is your country now.”

Photos: ICC/Alyssa K. Faoro

For more information on partnering with the ICC to host a community citizenship ceremony, email us: ceremonypartnerships@inclusion.ca