The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic played host to 31 people as they became Canadian citizens on Monday.
Yashita Ghore, 8, from India, performed a Scottish Highland dance to a crowd of dozens as a celebration of the then-impending Canadian citizenship ceremony.
“It’s fun, and I like to dance,” she said.
The event was co-hosted by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and included round-table discussions between citizens and their guests.
Yashita’s father, Yogesh Ghore, came to Canada from Bhopal as a student in 2008 before getting a job.
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“It’s a great country, great people, very open, very diverse, and I’m happy to be part of this,” said Ghore, who also received his citizenship on Monday.
Anyi Zhou, who is from China, studied chemistry at Dalhousie University. She is currently doing an internship.
“I just feel excited, and I hope I have a brighter future,” said the new Canadian, adding that she appreciated the freedoms in Canada.
Talbot Sweeney, originally from Dublin, has lived in Canada for six years. He said Monday was a “proud day” for him.
“I suppose the citizenship really means now I’m here, now I belong, now I don’t have to do separate queues at airports, I can vote, I have a say in my community,” he said.
According to Statistics Canada, more than 20 per cent of people in Canada were born in another country.