Bill tabled to recognize Indigenous peoples in citizenship oath

Published Oct 23, 2020 • 1 minute read

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) partnered with the Ottawa Senators in a special citizenship ceremony, where 20 families from 20 countries became Canadian citizens ahead of the hockey game between the Senators and the visiting Calgary Flames. Eleven-year-old Ahmed Mohammed holds his hand up while taking the oath during the ceremony Saturday Jan. 18, 2020 Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia Network

Calling it a “step towards reconciliation,” a bill was introduced Thursday to overhaul Canada’s citizenship oath.

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Uttered by those as their last step towards becoming a Canadian citizen, the oath will, according to the bill, be changed to include references to Canada’s First Nations, Meitis and Inuit people.

The proposed oath would therefore read: “I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen.”

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The current oath makes no mention of the constitution or any treaties.

The changes are in line with recommendation 94 in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, which called on the government to include observation of First Nations treaties in the oath.

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @bryanpassifiume

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