FYI, before going to oath ceremony!

[springtime]

just FYI:

Since December 2011, CIC has been watching to make sure all new Canadians recite the oath verbatim, which includes asking women to remove their veils.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/man-denied-canadian-citizenship-over-oath-mix-up-1.1260702

 

[eileenf]

This is true. I was disappointed at my friend's Oath ceremony to witness how parts of the celebration felt like a further interrogation, a time for suspicion rather than joy. As people recited the oath, phalanxes of CIC officers stalked up and down the aisles to examine the movements of people's lips. Glaring, listening, assessing. I found it demeaning and below the dignity of the ceremony.

High school graduations do not require students to take a pop quiz on the stage, before their principal will hand over the diploma. Weddings don't involve the officiant glaring and asking "But, do you really???" when the bride and groom say "I do". Because it would be below the dignity of the celebration and it would suggestion that no one really believes you or trusts you or accepts you, even after all this suspicion many of us have finally passed through, all this waiting and all these years.

Canada is better than that. I wish the current government would realize that.

 

[FL1040]

I think people should have a minimum of respect for the ceremony...reciting the oath completely and clearly, dressing appropriately and behaving appropriately costs nothing and it does not require a big physical or intellectual effort, unless you are hemiplegic or have a speech impairment. I went last year to the ceremony of a friend here in Montreal and I was shocked at the sartorial choices and behaviour of some people...some were even wearing flip-flops from Dollarama.

I am not suggesting the latest fashion or haute-couture clothes but people should dress accordingly, there are nice summer clothes available, they don´t have to be expensive or even new, the same goes for the behaviour at the ceremony. I found the behaviour of certain people below the dignity of the ceremony...average human beings can do better than that.

 

[eileenf]

I agree FL1040 that people can do better. I think that many would do better if CIC did a better job setting the tone for the ceremony with something even as simple as including the dress code on the invitation, which it does not currently do. "Please dress in business attire or semi-formal. In keeping with the dignity of the occasion, extremely casual clothing is discouraged and no non-religious head coverings may be worn."

Setting the tone is important because few people have ever been to citizenship ceremonies before they go to their own. Instead the CIC follows their standard approach of giving little information and then policing people for betrayals of the unstated rules.

Edited to Add: There is no dress code for the event. If it's important to Canadians or the CIC or the PM or the Minister, than a dress code should be added and communicated effectively to Oath participants. For me personally, I couldn't care less whether someone wears flip flops to the Oath Ceremony.

 

[boasorte]

Completely agree with FL1040 and elieenf. Unfortunately, lots of people just take it for granted.

 

[Anush]

Was there any justification given for this action?

 

[FL1040]

I agree FL1040 that people can do better. I think that many would do better if CIC did a better job setting the tone for the ceremony with something even as simple as including the dress code on the invitation, which it does not currently do. "Please dress in business attire or semi-formal. In keeping with the dignity of the occasion, extremely casual clothing is discouraged and no non-religious head coverings may be worn."

Setting the tone is important because few people have ever been to citizenship ceremonies before they go to their own. Instead the CIC follows their standard approach of giving little information and then policing people for betrayals of the unstated rules.

I agree to some extend. People who have lived in this country for at least four years and have waited at least two more to get their citizenship should know the social mores of Canada. The responsibility is not entirely on the CIC´s side, there is something called "common sense" and even if there is a cultural element in it it is also true that after all that time newcomers will have observed some patterns of collective behaviour and include them in their lives. Many women in Africa are normally bare-breasted and it is not taboo in Africa, but once they come here they learn that they must cover because that is what most of women do, people from other cultures learn that they cannot have parties at home until late at night in respect for the neighbours, people learn not to cross the street when the traffic light is green for the cars, and so forth.

No matter however you slice it and intend to put all the responsibility on CIC it just doesn´t hold...try another argument

 

[eileenf]

Many women in Africa are normally bare-breasted and it is not taboo in Africa, but once they come here they learn that they must cover because that is what most of women do...

Off topic, but this comment does not reflect the reality of African countries and societies.

 

[touché]

I agree to some extend. People who have lived in this country for at least four years and have waited at least two more to get their citizenship should know the social mores of Canada. The responsibility is not entirely on the CIC´s side, there is something called "common sense" and even if there is a cultural element in it it is also true that after all that time newcomers will have observed some patterns of collective behaviour and include them in their lives. Many women in Africa are normally bare-breasted and it is not taboo in Africa, but once they come here they learn that they must cover because that is what most of women do, people from other cultures learn that they cannot have parties at home until late at night in respect for the neighbours, people learn not to cross the street when the traffic light is green for the cars, and so forth.

No matter however you slice it and intend to put all the responsibility on CIC it just doesn´t hold...try another argument

Ever been to Africa FL1040?

 

[Pureminded]

I agree to some extend. People who have lived in this country for at least four years and have waited at least two more to get their citizenship should know the social mores of Canada. The responsibility is not entirely on the CIC´s side, there is something called "common sense" and even if there is a cultural element in it it is also true that after all that time newcomers will have observed some patterns of collective behaviour and include them in their lives. Many women in Africa are normally bare-breasted and it is not taboo in Africa, but once they come here they learn that they must cover because that is what most of women do, people from other cultures learn that they cannot have parties at home until late at night in respect for the neighbours, people learn not to cross the street when the traffic light is green for the cars, and so forth.

No matter however you slice it and intend to put all the responsibility on CIC it just doesn´t hold...try another argument

You probably ignore that you're insulting a whole continent with this, sorry to say it, stupid comment that could only come from narrow-minded people.

 

[CanuckForEver]

I couln't care less about what you're wearing for the citizenship ceremony. If CIC seems to be uptight about it, then there are a lot of solemnity that it can work on it's side too. In favor of the applicants, no one can doubt that they do the best they can including removing head garbs from around their heads. As for CIC, it can start by not calling the presiding swearing officer as "Citizenship Judge" per se. That is quite misleading when given that, most if not all, the judges are not someone who followed a legal career path but are rather possible dignitaries being hired by CIC on contract basis which to me sounds similar to commissioner of oath. I dont know how long this practice has been in place, but the OP's article also seems to suggest that someone who is branded as judge has made a seemingly unfair ruling on one of the to-be-Canadian who sure would have come with a lot of dreams in that apparently uneventful day for him.

 

[admontreal]

You probably ignore that you're insulting a whole continent with this, sorry to say it, stupid comment that could only come from narrow-minded people.

How on earth, in this era, could someone still have this stereotype ? I just can't understand
He's right actually, being born in Africa, I can also say that we had to get used to live in houses rather than trees, thanks to the Canadian government. They also taught us how to walk and how to use forks, and the final exam is the oath ceremony, of course