Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), issued a statement on May 23, 2022 to mark the start of Citizenship Week.
The minister celebrated the Citizenship Week of Canadians. This year, Canada marked the 75th anniversary of the first Canadian Citizenship Act, which was then replaced with the Citizenship Act in 1977. It was a monumental moment in Canadian history that shaped the identity all Canadians share nowadays.
The minister encouraged all Canadians to take part in building a strong, inclusive and prosperous Canada. Throughout the world, Canada is known as a country that respects and celebrates differences. They have amended the Citizenship Act to reflect their values and to promote an inclusive society over the years.
The minister added that the most recent amendments include broadening the definition of "citizenship by descent" to accommodate families. As part of the reforms, a new Oath of Citizenship will acknowledge the inherent and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, as well as the duty that all citizens have to uphold the treaties between the Crown and Indigenous nations.
Therefore, their goal is to ensure that the tragic parts of their history are never forgotten as they strive towards reconciliation.
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