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BUILDING CITIZENSHIP
Get involved in the practice of inclusive citizenship by starting a local citizenship committee or by joining a committee near you.
To build a modern and democratic society made up of people from around the world, Canadians have developed many initiatives to welcome new arrivals, help them adapt to life in a new country and encourage them to become active citizens. The citizenship ceremony lies at the heart of these initiatives. The Institute for Canadian Citizenship has set out to strengthen the connection between Canada's citizenship ceremonies and local communities. We believe that local organizing committees, led by volunteers, can enrich these ceremonies and help to establish new bonds among Canadians. By bringing together Canadians with different cultural, ethnic, linguistic, religious etc. backgrounds, the program aims to break down the barriers between “us” and “them.”
These enhanced citizenship ceremonies are a launching pad for new citizens and established community members to connect in meaningful ways. Following up on the ceremonies, committees are encouraged to initiate activities that will provide the space for new and experienced citizens to meet one another, share stories and experiences, and build their communities together. The Institute believes that integration is a process that requires the active participation of all citizens- new and “old.” Indeed, actively involving all members of a community in practicing inclusive citizenship is the aim of the program.
The Building Citizenship program creates a national network of citizenship committees whose goal is to contribute to building welcoming, cohesive, and integrated communities. Citizenship committees can be a part of existing local organizations like a Rotary Club or a library committee. They can stand on their own and tap into a network of people who share your desire to welcome new Canadians. While some committees may focus on the hosting of citizenship ceremonies, others will dedicate themselves to the implementation of other engagement activities, in concert with other committees. Some committees will do both! Schools and community centres can also play a role, hosting and creating committees that will make these places focal points for this program and new Canadians.
If you'd like to find out more information about starting or joining a local citizenship committee, contact:
Claire Reid
National Program Manager, Building Citizenship
Institute for Canadian Citizenship
creid@icc-icc.ca
416.593.6998 x231
Or complete and submit this ICC Citizenship Committees Getting Started Form
McMichael Citizenship Ceremony Video
Citizenship Committees
Committee Profiles
Every few months we will be profiling some of our volunteer committees across Canada so you'll know what they're up to and how they're engaging new citizens from province to province.
Committee: Halifax, NS
Founded: Spring 2008
Members: Florencia Berakha, Asa Kachan, Marlene Moore, Jon Stone
The Halifax committee wants every new citizen to feel like a special dinner guest in their home. That's why when they were getting started last spring, they decided to hold a potluck at each one of their citizenship ceremonies.
“The goal was to provide a warmer welcome to citizens, so we asked ourselves what could we do?” said Marlene Moore, one of the committee members. “The answer was ‘let’s get together and have a meal!’” People tend to open up much more if they’re eating together, she said. “A lot of perceived differences are immediately erased over food,” she laughed. “You have a different kind of conversation. People were more willing to talk about the challenges they have about coming to Canada.”
“We see it as you are coming to our house for supper and we are your hosts and hostesses.” A simple potluck buffet-style supper was served up the night before their inaugural ceremony last May at Dalhousie University. Fifty-five people showed up, including the relatives and friends of new citizens.
The next day at the ceremony, people were already acquainted with each other because of the potluck the night before, which added to a strong sense of community during the ceremony, said Moore. Some even came in from out of town for the dinner, from as far away as Yarmouth (a 4-hour drive), and stayed overnight for the ceremony in the morning. “It became an event in their lives,” she said.
Since then, they have hosted one more ceremony. Their core committee of six draws on a team of volunteers to help with each event. As well, Citizenship and Immigration has been enormously supportive. Moore, a VP of Marketing and Operations and one of the shareholders of Green Power Labs Inc., a solar mapping and engineering company in Halifax, has found her involvement with the citizenship committee fun and incredibly fulfilling. The next challenge is building on the success of their ceremonies moving forward. “New citizens have helped me see similarities where before I saw differences,” Moore said. “They have made my world bigger and better.”
Committee: Thorncliffe Park, Toronto, ON
Founded: 2007
Members: Holly Bacchus, Faiza Kakat, Geoff Kettel,
Ahmed Hussein, Bill Pashby, Dave
Sutherland, Yousuf Syed, Abdul Ingar
Thorncliffe Park is a single U-shaped street with 35 high-rise and lowrise rental buildings. In this single square kilometre approximately 30,000 people have made their home. People have come from a long way to get here.
In the 1990s Thorncliffe Park began to receive wave after wave of immigrants and refugees first from India, then from Pakistan and more recently from Afghanistan. These people brought with them, their stories, their food, their faith and their children. Today Thorncliffe boasts the largest grade school in North America with almost 2000 students between Kindergarten and Gr. 5, 93% of whom do not have English as a first language!
Many of the newcomers to Canada who call Thorncliffe home are eager to build a beautiful and vibrant community as their new home. It was these type of people who were called together by the Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office to discuss the possibility of welcoming new Canadians by organizing local citizenship ceremonies with local flavour. A small group was appointed by the larger meeting of community stakeholders representing people from 5 different nations and all walks of life. Two ceremonies have been organized so far, both at different local schools. In both cases the food, artwork, performances, discussions and general spirit have been greatly appreciated by those taking their oath and have been a testament to global community.
The committee has developed a strong goal to have Thorncliffe community members who have taken oath in their own neighbourhood, to actively engage in citizenship by becoming members of our committee. Hopefully by sending them a photograph of their citizenship day and then inviting them and their families to a follow-up dinner we will be able to have a committee that is representative of Canada's newest voices continually extending that welcome to others who are along the same journey.
-David Sutherland, Committee Member
Ceremony Calendar
Change for Change Initiative
Proposal Guideline
“Building Citizenship: Change for Change” is a new initiative to create opportunities for new and established Canadians to work together on strengthening their communities. All our volunteer committees are encouraged to submit a proposal for a citizen engagement project to be considered for funding to a maximum amount of $1,000.00 per fiscal year.
Brainstorming: Get inspired by ideas for activities. Click here.
** Building Citizenship funds are exclusively available to ICC Citizenship Committees.
Activity Outline:
- Ensure that the project is in line with the ICC's vision and mandate.
- Contact Claire Reid, National Program Manager, Building Citizenship to discuss initial idea
- T: 416-593-6998 ext. 231
- E: creid@icc-icc.ca
- Complete application form, indicating:
- Why is the project important?
- Outline of the committee’s objective in relation to the proposed activity
- Work plan for activities
- What are the start and end dates of the project?
- Include a schedule of the proposed dates/times for these activities.
- Target Audience
- Activities must include a mix of new and 'established' citizens
- Include a schedule of the proposed dates/times for these activities.
- Indicate how the committee will connect with the citizens. (Please note that ICC can assist committees in connecting with new citizens via the developing national data-base. Committees can also connect with new citizens via the citizenship ceremonies).
- Location
- Where will the activities take place?
- What facilities will you use?
- Budget
- What is the total funding required for this project?
- Are you receiving funding from any other sources?
- What in-kind contributions will the committee members or partners make to the project?
- Identify partners
- While not required, the ICC encourages partnerships so as to increase the effectiveness and outreach potential of the activity.
- Identify expected results
- Why is the project important?
- Activities must be completed by July 31st, 2010.
- What activities are not funded? :
- Citizenship ceremonies
- Financial assistance for individuals, like scholarships
- Salaries
- Core or ongoing operating costs. However, 10% of the cost may cover administrative costs associated with the implementation of the project.
- Travel costs
- Service delivery (settlement support)
- Reporting
- Submit a final narrative and financial report at the completion of the project describing:
- How the objectives were met
- Results
- Challenges
- How the money was spent.
- Plans to build on success of the project.
- Please include pictures of the activities.
- Submit a final narrative and financial report at the completion of the project describing: