Scouts Canada hosts citizenship ceremony at Laval City Hall
Published Wed. March 10, 2010
By Martin C. Barry • TLN

The council chamber of Laval city hall was the setting on Feb. 25 for an unusual kind of Canadian citizenship rite. Not only did more than more than two dozen newcomers to Canada finally gain the privilege of being full-fledged Canadian citizens, but Judge Gilles Duguay, who presided over the ceremony, was formally initiated into the Scouting movement.

Twenty-seven new citizens
As part of international Scout/Guide Week, Scouts Canada, in cooperation with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, hosted the ceremony. It was a first for the organization. In all, 27 new Canadians received their citizenship in the presence of family, friends elected officials and top brass from the Canadian Scouting movement. Scouts Canada wanted to play a role welcoming the new citizens, while at the same time inviting them to learn about Scouting.
The event was a means of allowing the new citizens to become familiar with the Scouting movement in Canada, as well as an opportunity for the children of new arrivals to become involved in a community-minded activity in their new community. Scouts Canada, which is the nation’s leading youth organization, prides itself on being an inclusive organization that has members from all ethnic, cultural and religious communities. Up to 100,000 children and adults are involved in the programs offered by the Scouts Canada movement.

Fundamental values
In a speech before the oath of citizenship was administered, Laval city councillor Alexandre Duplessis, who attended on behalf of Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt, pointed out that one of the reasons Canadian citizenship is highly regarded throughout the world is that it enshrines fundamental values, such as freedom, democracy, respect for cultural diversity and the primacy of law. “Tonight I am proud to be here to say hello to my new Canadian friends,” said Chris Von Roretz, a member of the Scouts Canada governing board, who acted as master of ceremonies.
Judge Duguay, who had been a member of the Scouts as a youngster, referred many times to Scouting lore, such as the motto to ‘Be Prepared’ and the daily Good Deed, during a speech he delivered. He had words of encouragement for the new Canadian citizens, acknowledging that some of them had come from troubled countries like Angola where at one time there was civil war, and Chile, which was recently devastated by an 8.8 scale earthquake. “Your are our brothers and sisters,” said Duguay.

Inducted as Scouts
The judge added that the sound of children who were making noise during the ceremony was like music to his ears because he had brought up many children himself. Following the administration of the citizenship oath, Scouting officials held a ceremony of their own to induct Judge Duguay and Senator Judith Seidman, who was a special guest, into the Scouting movement. They recited the following pledge: “I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God and the Queen, to help other people at all times, and to live by the Scout law.” Duguay added a line of his own. “And remember to do a good deed every day,” he said.