No1_mom

Well they finally did it, we became official Canadians on the 13th of July - 4 years and 3 months after landing.

Did anyone else feel like I did - elated at the ceremony, particularly as we had the most senior judge and he was amazing, so passionate about Canada and such a wonderful speaker and then afterwards deflated. I know you physically aren't any different but I expected to feel more excitement. Our kids are hyper at now being true Canadians.

All I know is we are soooo glad to finally feel we belong and have applied for our passports which hopefully will make crossing the border easier.

Steve_P

Congratulations.

Hey at least you got a ceremony.

Back when I got my citizenship (1972) you went to a government office told them you wanted to become a citizen, showed them your landed immigrant piece of paper, swore allegiance to the queen, paid them a sum of money (can't remember how much) and went home. No test, no ceremony, no nothing.

A few weeks later a citizenship certificate arrived in the mail.

arniedog

congratulations hope you enjoy being proper Canadians aye . We only have another 14 1\2 weeks (not that im counting of course ) until we move to the Toronto area and cant wait , anyway like i said well done

Almost Canadian

Congratulations

Lemi

To be honest, I think I like your version better. Sounds a little less humiliating than all the silly "ceremony" hoopla.

Lord Vader

Did Canada post deliver the mail by horse and wagon when you became a citizen?

Steve_P

1972 not 1872.

paulgreen

[QUOTE=No1_mom;9520873]Well they finally did it, we became official Canadians on the 13th of July - 4 years and 3 months after landing.

Congratulations. You have joined what I think is the best country in the world. Your children will have far more opportunities here than in the UK. Much as we love the country where we were born, there are many advantages to living in a country like Canada, where the air is clean, standards of living are high, the population is not too large and we have all the benefits of following the example of a mature country like Britain (courts, Law, schools, heath care, speaking English etc.) without copying it falws (e.g. 300,000 families with no member who has ever worked, massive government debt).

There are good reasons for celebrating at the Citizenship ceremony. You have a lot to look foward to. Welcome to Canada.

(I am in Edmonton)

Alberta_Rose

The next time it hits you is when you get to vote ... and also when/if you get a Canadian passport.

We just got ours and I sat for quite a time gazing at the line which read "Nationality: Canadian/Canadienne". Somehow even though I could say I was a Canadian Citizen, it never struck me that I'd be "Nationality: Canadian/Canadienne" before I saw it in writing on an official document!

Lemi

Edmontonians warned of toxic smoke from pharmaceutical blaze

Mhut

Congrats No 1 Mom

paulgreen

Edmontonians warned of toxic smoke from pharmaceutical blaze[/URL]

Ooh. Nasty. Should I say the air here is usually clean?

On the main thread. New Canadians will probably get an odd feeling when they travel to Heathrow and are greeted by "a new British" person at passport control and are asked "What is the purpose of your visit?" and "How long is your stay?".

After 30 years here, I now find that I enjoy England more than ever when I visit. I even enjoyed staying in London recently.

Lemi

How will they?

paulgreen

Because this country is very rich in natural resources and it has a small population but vast lands. As Churchill said in 1929 when he travelled across Canada by train, it has a great future. Britain, on the other hand, is overpopulated, has very little land and hence very much fewer natural resources. Canada is also a forward looking country, where individual initiative is rewarded. Hard work on the part of your children will pay off.

My two daughters are much better off here than they would have been in the UK. As a nurse, for example, one earns roughly $80,000 a year working less than full time. There is less of a welfare mentality here than in the UK also (i.e. not quite as many scroungers milking the public purse), although maybe I am just reflecting what I have seen in Western Canada. I know the East less well.

No1_mom

I think it really depends on which Province you are in and in what trade. I am working in the education field and earning way less than I did in 2007. Canada has a really low minimum wage and the thought of someone having a PhD and earning $11 an hour is heartbreaking but that is affected by the recent economic problems. In all honesty other than gas, red meat and house prices I do not find anything cheaper. I actually find basic necessities way more expensive such as bread, milk, chicken, yoghurts, cold meats etc.. it is definitely the way of life that is more important, the sports, out doors etc that is more important. I think our kids will have a better life in Canada than us as we still have the stigma of being immigrants and rightly or wrongly we feel that we do not get a fair crack at the jobs even if we are highly educated and with experience. I have no problem when I know the person hired is better but when I see they have limited experience or are learning on the job then I feel it has to do with nationality.

Another big issue is education costs, and healthcare costs. Without insurance you have a big problem - health care various from Province to Province, town to town as it does int he UK, but we never had a problem in Scotland and prescription costs meant we could actually get our medication. On ocassions here I have had to ignore my doctors prescription because I had no health cover and not enough money to pay for it. I dread when my kids have to go to college/uni as the thought of $15k per year or more is heartbreaking. My daughter completed her BA back in Glasgow we didn't have to pay anything towards it.

You have to weigh up the costs and realise what is important to you and the life style here is way better than the UK.