At the end of December I mentioned that I’d applied for Canadian citizenship. I was expecting to wait seven months to hear anything, but for whatever reason, my application was processed quickly, and this morning, along with 95 fellow immigrants, I took the oath of citizenship at TCU Place in Saskatoon. It’s official: I’m now a Canadian citizen! 🇨🇦
I’m not known for emoting excessively, but I got genuinely choked up singing “O Canada!” for the first time as a citizen. Every time someone went on stage to receive their citizenship certificate, there was polite applause, but when I went up, there was more noise than average. Tajinder Grewal (on the right in the photo), the MLA who represents our neighbourhood, seemed surprised and asked if I had a lot of family members in the audience, which I did! I was so grateful to have their support.
What I found most delightful about the ceremony was that very few of the other immigrants looked or sounded like me. People from 24 countries were represented, and there was a real spirit of joy in welcoming newcomers of many nationalities, ethnicities, religions, and languages into the Canadian family. Unlike, you know, a certain other North American country I could name.
I’m excited that I’ll be able to vote in the next federal election, and that I can now get a Canadian passport. And, for numerous reasons I shan’t enumerate, I am, at this moment, very happy to be living North of the Wall. But to me, it’s much less about being not-there and mostly about feeling good about my adoptive country. I’m very well aware that Canada has its own problems, and that the provincial governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta in particular have some rather unfortunate stances. But also: now I can be part of the solution.
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Echoing a lot of people I’m sure, I’m very very happy for you Joe. I’m feeling lost and grieving in the US, for why so much hating. I’m particularly pleased you’re surrounded by family for your 2 boys. Any chance Morgen is driving at all? If she’s content, that’s all that matters.
I had a stroke in 2023 and was forced into medical retirement. I’m still working on my health now. I need to figure out something to do with myself. At some point I was going to reach out to you and the Engsts on how to get started, and does it need to be WordPress…but that’s not now.
Now you’ll remember March 11, 2025, just as I remember March 3, 1989 as the day I was sworn in as a US Citizen. Meaningful day, the judge was gentle and kind and welcoming, and people were choked up and in tears. I will never forget how gracious and welcoming people were to “foreigners”, and wish there could be more of that spirit instead of fear. It took me near 7 years to do that, and so it was wearing and gratifying. I would not have been able to work for NASA without being a citizen!
@suman Very sorry to hear about your stroke! We, too, are very sad about what’s going on in the U.S., and grateful to be here right now. Morgen is doing well, working on her MFA at the University of Saskatchewan.