Essay On Becoming A Canadian Citizen

I am Canadian I am Canadian! I live in a house not an igloo. I drive a car not a dog sled or ski doo.

Very few Canadians have made the same impacts on Canadian quality of life as Pierre Trudeau did as his time as a politician. During his time as a prime minister, he brought forth many changes that greatly improved the quality of all Canadians living in the country. He made the diverse population of Canada feel safe and included. Pierre trudeau has caused a significant increase on Canadians’ quality of life by helping introduce legislation such as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Official Languages act which made Canadians feel safe, protected and included. Although this influential Canadian has caused many and important positive impacts on the lives of Canadians, Pierre Trudeau has also brought forth negative, but temporary

Canada is a nation built on immigration, and as the world becomes an ever increasingly hostile place more and more have chosen to try and make Canada their home. This melting pot of different cultures has created an overall atmosphere of acceptance, and is teaching younger generations a sense of community, empathy, and togetherness. Sharing our space and learning to grow with different ethnicities has perpetuated our status as a friendly, caring, and loyal nation, that many are willing to risk everything for in exchange for becoming a part of it.

One of the first major acts towards immigration was the Canadian Citizenships Act of 1947, which was passed by WL Mackenzie King on January 1, 1947 (Towards the Citizenship Act. Government of Canada). This act enabled non- Canadian immigrants to live in Canada regardless of their origin and were also able to apply for citizenship after 5 years of living in Canada (Ibid). Other changes included that women would not lose their citizenship if they married a non- Canadian (Erica, Gagnon. Canadian Citizenship Act, 1947). However, Canadians could lose citizenship if they adopted other citizenships (Ibid). This act was significant as Canada was the first Commonwealth country create separate citizenship, which aided in defining their independent nationhood (Towards the Citizenship Act. Government of Canada). Another pivotal movement was the introduction of the Point System in 1967, which instituted three classes of immigrants: independent class, family class and humanitarian class (A.E, Challoner. Canada's Immigration Policy). These classes categorized immigrants’ potential to be active and beneficial to productivity in Canadian society. This act also empowered for provinces to manage their own immigration laws (Ibid). Furthermore, Canadian independence was critical in

Imagine needing to move to a new country because of violence, limited job opportunities, or an oppressive government. Now imagine finding out it may take up to 20 years to get out of that dangerous environment. This is the reality millions of immigrants trying to come to America face every day. In order to become a US citizen, one must first possess a Green Card for at least 5 years, be at least 18 years of age at the time of filing for citizenship, be able to read, write, and speak basic English, submit an N-400 form, take the US Naturalization Test, and have a personal interview to determine if said immigrant is a person of good moral character. This process takes at least 5 years, and that’s if said immigrant does not run into any troubles with filing. Because of this lengthy process, millions of immigrants, many with

To me, being a Canadian means that you will stand by your country, and hold it strong well you are at war. It means that you will not give up your home and native land. We might have been a British colony for centuries, but we embrace that. We love our heritage and I would not even try to change who I am. For Canada is my life. Canada is not just a country, it is a home, a refugee, and an enemy. In this essay I will show to you the way that Canada is a home, a refugee and an enemy.

We in Canada are safe, away from the threats of terror, violence and corruption we read about in newspapers or see on the evening news. The same goes for the town in which we live. We are lucky, unfortunately not all are so lucky. Some people coming into the country are trying to escape the violence that has plagued their homeland for so long, others are looking to start over, and some just want to experience what is is like to live in a place where they are not forced to assimilate to a norm, where they can have freedom. Due to all of these reasons, the immigrant population to Canada from other countries has increased significantly and will continue to grow in the coming decades.

A lot of things and people pitch in to the Canadian identity. I think Canadian immigrants have contributed to the Canadian identity because they made Canada have different people besides Canadians. This also shows that Canada welcomes any culture and anyone from any country to Canada because they are open to anyone. By Immigrants coming to Canada, It made Canada be different, and a better country. If Canada did not let these immigrants into our country, it shows that Canada is not a welcoming country and other countries might not treat Canada well if they were not nice but thankfully, they are nice. Secondly, Canada would be pretty different if in world war two, if women didn’t start to enter the workforce. I think this contributed to the

Canada has turned into an attractive place for immigrants from around the globe who are looking for a developed country that will give them good opportunities to succeed in their future. “Over the last few decades, Canadian immigrants have come primarily from these ten countries: China, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, the United States, Iran, Romania, the United Kingdom, and Sri Lanka.”( Hughes). Immigration had been the key to Canada’s economy as it benefits it economically and politically. “Immigrants added their cultures, languages, and religions to the mix.” (Ibid, Hughes). New comer’s have a positive impact on Canadian society. They have contributed to Canada’s economy in so many ways but most importantly they have contributed by providing and assisting in skills and labour shortage, they have excelled in the educational opportunities offered in Canada and also they bring their culture to Canada when they immigrate here.

Becoming a citizen of the United States is a very lengthy process. Not just anyone can become a citizen of the United States. There are many requirements and responsibilities to becoming a citizen, whether it is of the United States or any other country. Being a citizen of the United States is a very special privilege. The people who do become a citizen should be very lucky and proud to be the citizen of the United States. Even though they do become citizens of the United States they shouldn't forget about their own country either, but share the joyfulness.

The first immigrants to the territory now constituting Canada were from Western Europe. The first great influx began early in the 19th century when large numbers of Europeans left their homelands to escape the economic distress resulting from the transformation of industry by the factory system and the concurrent shift from small-scale to large-scale farming. At the same time, wars, political oppression, and religious persecution caused a great many Europeans to seek freedom and security in Canada.

As I walked to the parking lot where my mom had arrived to pick me up from school, my sister ran out of the car, ran towards me and yelled excitedly, “We’re going to Canada!” Having grown up in Kuwait for my whole life of 15 years, I could hardly believe my sister’s words. Going to Canada! I had only been out of the country twice, each time just to vacation and visit family in the Philippines where both my parents are from. I had always imagined what life would be like outside of Kuwait, and now it was finally going to be real. My 15-year old self was devastated - We were leaving the only home I had known for 15 years. It did not take long for my sisters’ excitement to die when we realized that we would be leaving our friends and everything we’ve ever known and not returning for a long time. Life in Kuwait for 15 years was comfortable and we were more than financially stable. Moving to Canada without a job offer in place meant that we would have to start from the beginning all over again. Goodbyes were hard but my parents encouraged us to see the joys of moving to a place where we could start over and become accepted citizens of a country. Arriving in Canada, I experienced the biggest culture shock of my life. Vancouver, BC was cold, wet, and loud. I had thought adjusting would be relatively easy; I spoke English with a slight accent but I was very shy that it confused some of the other kids to think I couldn’t speak English. I did not understand the culture, which took a

in their family and have a feeling of having a place. Acknowledgment gives Canadians a sentiment security and self-assurance, making them more open to, and tolerating of, assorted societies. The Canadian experience has demonstrated that multiculturalism energizes racial and ethnic amicability and culturally diverse comprehension. It promotes the citizens of a country to not only be a good citizen, but it allows them to understand better the contributions they can make by being a global citizen as well. A society can take the best parts of every culture and use it to its’ advantage. It is visible in Canada that people of many different cultures use each other's foods, music, medicine, games, sports, and products. Our differences are a national resource. Late advances in innovation have made worldwide correspondences more essential than any time in recent memory. Canadians who talk numerous dialects and comprehend many societies make it simpler for Canada to take an interest comprehensively in territories of training, exchange, and discretion. People can learn from the mistakes other countries made and not repeat them. More than four decades, inconceivably fast statistic change has changed Canada, particularly its biggest urban communities. In Europe, comparative change has brought about uproars and social pressures that have discolored the idea of multiculturalism there. In any case, in Canada, these progressions, regardless of many difficulties, happened calmly, beneficially

Canadian and American cultural views were different which was proved because one is multicultural and the other is not. Canada was known as “mosaic” which means immigrants from any ethnic group were accepted here and were allowed to practice their religion. Therefore, they have a double identity ,meaning they are their ethnic group before a Canadian citizen as in Japanese-Canadian, Asian Canadian and so on . Whereas ,American culture was known as the “melting pot “, where they accept other cultures however they encouraged their citizens to give up their original culture ( Wells ,10 and 11 ). Canadian’s usually describe themselves as “NOT AMERICAN“(Wells,35) . Many Americans view Canada as a positive nation and as a better environment to live in then the United States . A legal sectary from Gastonia ,North Carolina said “Canada’s such a terrific place, I’d move there tomorrow if I could” (Wells, 35). This proves that Americans want to come to Canada since it is a safer environment due to it’s unique culture. Canadians are recognized as more modest, less aggressive and more down to earth then their southern neighbors (Wells,35).

The decision to leave one’s home country is never an easy one. The courage to pursue one’s dreams no matter what the costs requires strength and persistence. For many, Canada represents a beacon of hope or a light at the end of a tunnel. It is a land of peace, tranquility, beauty and diversity. Canada has become a safe haven for survivors of war, persecution and injustice but it is also a place where people are accepted for their differences and are free to live without fear of oppression. Before Confederation, our country was being colonized by the British and the French. In these early days, Canada was viewed as an opportunity to build a new life. Throughout history, Canada’s immigration policies have evolved contributing to Canada’s image as a multicultural nation. Many immigrate to Canada seeking employment or refuge, while others are sponsored by family members. However, everyone dreams of building a better life for themselves and for future generations.