Saskatoon welcomes 87 new Canadians

Saskatoon welcomed 87 new Canadians on Tuesday at TCU Place.

The event hosted by the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The 87 new Canadians along with friends and family gathered to mark the final step in their journey to become citizens.

“The wait is finally over,” said Savan Chaudhary who became a Canadian citizen on Tuesday. “It feels amazing to get the certificate, like the official Canadian certificate, and feel relaxed. No more hesitation or anything. It feels more like home.”

Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty, Saskatoon mayor Cynthia Block, knowledge keeper Randy Morin, Dr. Jim Miller and SHRC Chief Treena Sikora spoke to attendees, welcoming them to their official home and sharing what being Canadian means to them.

“I’m very happy that you’ve chosen to become citizens of this beautiful, wonderful country that we call Canada,” said Mirasty. “No matter how long you have been here in Canada or where you have come from in this great world of ours, you obviously have had to adapt to a new culture, new climate, new foods, and for some of you, a new language. But meeting those challenges obviously will be worth it.”

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After taking the oath of citizenship and being given their official citizenship certificates, the new Canadians were welcomed by the community leaders.

For siblings Hala and Ahmed Kouman who fled from Syria, the wait for citizenship was worth it.

“At first we applied for it like three years ago,” said Ahmed Kouman. “And every day I was going to ask about it, and they just said wait, just wait. And it finally came, so I’m nervous and happy at the same time.”

They don’t remember much about home as they were young when they left, but they knew it wasn’t safe in the country. Kouman says the journey to Canada included a stop in Jordan where he was treated for a bullet wound.

“Me and my brother, we were sleeping beside each other in my grandpa’s basement,” he said. “And a bullet went through the wall, and he was hugging me. So, it went through his arm on the other side and exited and it went in my back. It was just like 2 inches far from my kidney.”

A grade 11 student, Hala says she finds Canada to be much safer.

“People are really positive here,” she said. “I’m really liking it because there’s a lot of positive people, and in Syria there wasn’t that much positive. There was always kind of negativity.”

For the Castillo family from the Philippines, the day is a celebration.

“The journey of being an immigrant is over, and we’re one proud family to become Canadians,” said Willy Castillo, whose son Jared shared what being Canadian means to him.

“To be with everyone, to be in your family, to make friends, to help each other out, and even to stand to injustice,” said Jared Castillo, who recently graduated from high school.

Closing the event, the 87 new citizens joined in to sing O Canada for the first time as Canadians.

After the ceremony, attendees took photos and celebrated with friends.