Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage (BCAH), a new Canadian Heritage funding program
Community groups may be interested in a new funding program recently announced by the federal Department of Canadian Heritage. The program, Building Communities through Arts and Heritage (BCAH), will provide support to local arts and heritage festivals that feature local artists and artisans or local heritage, as well as major historical anniversaries of local importance.
Funding Guides and Application forms
Funding Guides and application forms for both component I and II are now available on the Department of Canadian Heritage website.
CBC Radio's Marc Montgomery interviews Senior Citizenship Judge Michel C. Simard on citizenship and immigration, and asks, "What does a citizenship judge do?"
 (Runs 11:11)
CBC Television's Kevin Tiechroeb looks at a group of new Canadians during their swearing in ceremony.  (Runs 03:32)
One special six year-old from Halifax shares with her family and classmates what it means to be a Canadian.  (Runs 02:10) - Canada Now, Nova Scotia (June 15, 2006)
Why these new immigrants chose Canada
"I guess my mom wanted us to have a better future." - Maria Isabel Jaramillo, Columbia
"Because it is a peaceful place and it is nice. I don't have to tell. Everybody can see it."- Simcha Klempner, Israel
The Citizenship process
 "It was very nice. It was very exciting to be part of it all to see people from so many different countries coming together. It helps us feel more part of this great country." - Hamed Abdoulraman, Mauritius
The hardest part about becoming a Canadian citizen
"Learning to drive. Nothing else because I don't have any language problems or anything. Just the thing I learned over here was driving. It was hard for me because I never drove before!" - Sobia Kamal Bajwa, Pakistan
How it feels to be Canadian
 "I feel like now I can do anything I want. First of all, I have freedom of moving around on the planet. Wherever I choose to go, I could go now, and I'll be welcome because Canadians are well seen everywhere. So I'm very happy and very proud of myself." - Laura Aslan, Romania
 "I feel really good. Canada has a lot to offer, and Vancouver, in particular, is a beautiful place to live." - Deonie Gaye Seaton, Australia
"It gives us a sense of belonging. It's a great feeling" - Hamed Abdoulraman, Mauritius
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| CBC Celebrates Citizenship |
CBC National Citizenship Essay Competition
It's the 60th Anniversary of Canadian Citizenship and we want to know what it means to you to be a Canadian. Grand prize includes a Dell 22" Flat Screen LCD Monitor, a trip to Toronto, $500 for your favourite Canadian charity and more!
Contest begins: October 15, 2007 -- the start of Citizenship Week.
We welcome essay submissions in either official language. Entrants must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants. 10 regional winners. The top 3 essays in each region go to the national competition. We will announce the national winners in the first week of December 2007.
The National Judges are:
The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson - Co-Chair of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship
Michel Coulombe - Director, Radio Canada International (RCI)
Monique Giroux - Fréquence Libre, Première Chaîne, Radio-Canada
Alden E. Habacon - Manager of Diversity Initiatives, CBC English Television Networks
Suhana Meharchand - Anchor, CBC Newsworld
Shelagh Rogers - Sounds Like Canada, CBC Radio
Haroon Siddiqui - Editorial Page Editor Emeritus, The Toronto Star
Senior Citizenship Judge Michel C. Simard - Citizenship Commission
Please see our Essay Competition Page for the winning essays. En française.
In partnership with:
Institute for Canadian Citizenship
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Citizenship Commission
 (Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window)
Join "Team Canada" on Test the Nation: Know Your Country
CBC's hit television show Test the Nation is looking for a team of New Canadians for an all-new episode of Test the Nation: Know your Country. New Canadians who have received their citizenship within the last two years are invited to apply. All participants must be at least 18 years of age. Please check out all the details at www.cbc.ca/testthenation/.
CBC Celebrates Citizenship Week and 60 Years of Canadian Citizenship!
October 15 - 21, 2007
During Citizenship Week, CBC is hosting a number of Citizenship Ceremonies. On October 19th, 271 new Canadians received their Canadian citizenship in a special ceremony held at CBC in Toronto. View the photo gallery from this swearing in (presided over by MP Diane Finley, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) here. CBC Manitoba also hosted a citizenship ceremony in Winnipeg for 60 new citizens on October 18th in partnership with the Manitoba Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.
We celebrate Canadian Citizenship Week each year during the third week of October. This celebration is an opportunity for all Canadians to reflect on what it means to be a citizen of Canada, recognize the value of our citizenship and to welcome new Canadians into our communities.
Throughout 2007, we have been celebrating the 60th anniversary of Canadian Citizenship, as it has been sixty years since the passage of the Citizenship Act in 1947. View the photo gallery from the swearing in of 80 new Canadian citizens at the special Anniversary Ceremony held in Vancouver which took place on February 22nd (presided by Judge William Day).
Factoid:
Approximately 262,000 people became Canadians in 2005. Citizenship is much more than being recognized as "Canadian" at international borders. Canadian citizenship also means the principles of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms are part of our the day-to-day interaction with each other; it involves adhering to citizenship values, such as equality, respect for cultural differences, freedom, peace, law and order. Citizenship Week is a time for us to think about the role we each play in building a Canadian society that is more inclusive, democratic and caring.
Throughout the year, CBC examines the significance and impact of immigration and citizenship to Canada's culture and identity. They are a key part of Canada's history and future. With exception to Canada's Aboriginal peoples, every Canadian has come from, or has ancestors from another country.
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| CBC Highlights |
Radio Canada International (RCI)
Radio Canada International has just launched a new a new multilingual Web service called RCI viva. Broadcasting in English, French, Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Ukrainian, RCI viva is designed to reach out to recent and aspiring immigrants to Canada, by informing them about Canada's social context, with tips on how to feel comfortable within it; delivering domestic arts and entertainment stories; assisting listeners on how to hone English- and French-language skills; and posting discussion boards for sharing experiences with others.
 This new Web service will play a pivotal role for immigrant communities in Canada and will provide a gateway for all new and prospective arrivals to the country. Access RCI's website in the following languages:
English | French | Spanish | Arabic | Chinese | Russian | Portuguese | Ukrainian
Radio-Canada Télévision
Coming Soon - Our colleagues at Radio Canada Télévision are producing more great citizenship stories in French, including portraits of Francophones from Africa, Asia or North Africa who have settled in British Columbia.
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| Immigration Fast Facts |
January 2006 - October 2006:
- 218,966 people immigrated to Canada in 2006
- Of these, 60% were economic immigrants, 24% were family class immigrants, 14% were refugees, and 2% were from other categories (2005).
- 38% percent of arriving immigrants between 25 and 64 years of age had a bachelor's degree as their highest level of education (2005).
The top 10 countries of origin for immigrants to Canada in 2006 are:
1. China (30,160)
2. India (25,123)
3. Pakistan (13,872)
4. Philippines (13,161)
5. South Korea (6,357)
6. Iran (6,121)
7. United States (5,459)
8. England (5,084)
9. Romania (5,083)
10. Sri Lanka (4,971)
(Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada  )
- When immigrants land in Canada, they are asked where they plan to settle. In 2006, the top five provinces were Ontario (140,533), British Columbia (44,767), Quebec (43,308), Alberta (19,399) and Manitoba (8,097).
- One out of every six Canadian residents was born outside the country (2001 Census).
- Based on available projections, it is expected that immigration will account for all net population growth sometime between 2026 and 2031 and for all labour force growth between 2011 and 2016.
Citizenship
- Average processing time for a Citizenship Application is approximately 13.3 months.
- 85% of landed immigrants go on to become Canadian citizens.
- 2,901 citizenship ceremonies were held in 2005-2006.
History
In 1947, Canada became the first Commonwealth country to gain its own citizenship act when the Canadian Citizenship Act took effect on January 1.
Prior to that, Canadians were considered British subjects residing in Canada, not Canadian citizens.
Prime Minister Mackenzie King had the honour of receiving the first Canadian citizenship certificate.
 (Note:
CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content
of external sites - links will open in new window)
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