Getting citizenship on Canada Day is 'icing on top of the cake,' says new citizen

Derek Normanton came to Nova Scotia to sojourn a person successful Truro, but aft getting to spot the province, he had an epiphany.

"We were sitting by the visitant centre and we were conscionable like, 'We should determination here,'" helium said.

That's however his 14-year-long way to citizenship started.

On Tuesday, Normanton was 1 of 49 radical who became Canadian citizens astatine a ceremony at the Canadian Museum of Immigration astatine Pier 21 in Halifax. New citizens received Canadian flags, took an oath and sang O Canada.

Since 1999, the depository has hosted citizenship ceremonies. Pier 21 served arsenic an immigration terminal from the 1920s until 1971, welcoming thousands of immigrants each year. The terminal welcomed astir 1 cardinal immigrants to Canada.

Normanton said it's a privilege to beryllium a Canadian and the ceremonial being held on Canada Day is "just the icing connected apical of the cake."

He works for the Municipality of East Hants and said helium thinks the state has it all.

"The happening astir Nova Scotia is it's conscionable specified a divers place. There's truthful overmuch unfastened space. It's conscionable fantastic, affable people," said Normanton. "I conscionable emotion Nova Scotia. It's a fantastic spot to live."

He planned to observe getting his citizenship by having sushi.

Brad Pease and Ieva Paegle met successful Denmark and had 2 kids determination earlier moving to Canada. They've seen galore places successful North America, having driven crossed the continent three years ago.

They had been surviving successful B.C. for a fewer years earlier choosing to marque Halifax home. They fell successful emotion with Nova Scotia's coastal landscape, culture and people. The household applied for their citizenship this January.

"We saw it arsenic a large accidental for america arsenic a family, [it's] a beauteous spot to unrecorded and tons of diverseness and antithetic experiences that we could person arsenic a family," said Pease.

"And we truly similar Peggys Cove," added their youngest child.

Maria Quency De Souza besides became a caller citizen. She said she volition observe today's milestone with her household and friends.

Quency De Souza said she has been surviving successful Canada for six years. The caregiver studied successful India and ever dreamed of surviving abroad.

"Canada was my country," she said.