“Why not Canada?”
When Krishna Chandori was asked why he and his wife chose Canada, he didn’t hesitate. As if choosing Canada was the obvious thing to do.
You could feel the pride in his voice when uttering those three words, speaking shortly after he was one of 55 people who took the oath of citizenship at the River Run Centre Wednesday to become Canadian citizens.
“Trust me, we have been to a lot of places, a lot of countries, met a lot of people. But trust me, this is the place,” he said. “The nature, the people. Everything is awesome.”
Originally from India, Chandori and his college sweetheart Srabani Vadali moved to Canada in Aug. 2020 after living in the United States for seven or eight years.
Both of them work in the IT sector. He is a lead engineer, and she is a senior business analyst and tech consultant.
“We are really proud,” Vadali said. “Today is one of the best days to be a citizen, and we are really proud to be a citizen of Canada.”
That sense of jubilation could be felt around the room, with people from 14 different countries represented.
They are restaurant owners and construction workers. Some are working in renewable energy, others are trying to help solve the ongoing housing crisis.
“In Canada, we are feeling safe, we know for sure that our children are safe, our kids are safe,” said Andrii Opalatenal.
He moved to Canada from Ukraine seven years ago and works as a millwright.
His wife Olha and two of their kids moved over two years later, and have since welcomed a third child.
Opalatenal raved about the opportunity for their kids to grow up as good people, get an education and feel part of a country.
It’s been a long time coming for the family of five, but Wednesday will be something they remember for a long time.
“It’s hard to say in a few words because when you have been waiting for something for a long time, and finally to get it, you’re so excited and you’re overflowing with feelings,” he said.
“Definitely I’m proud.”
The Guelph Wellington Local Immigration Partnership organized the venue, while Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) ran the ceremony.
It lasted about an hour. Each candidate was handed a certificate and was given a pin and a Canadian flag.
The event finished with the group singing the national anthem in both official languages, and a lunch was provided.
A slew of citizenship ceremonies are being held this week across the country for Welcoming Week.
If you’re a permanent resident looking to get your citizenship, you can view the requirements on the IRCC website.
