QUÉBEC CITY, Aug. 24, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Today at VIA Rail Canada's (VIA Rail) Gare du Palais in Québec City, 30 new citizens, coming from 15 countries, joined the Canadian family during a community citizenship ceremony organized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) and VIA Rail.
Before the ceremony, the ICC and VIA Rail hosted roundtable discussions during which new citizens and their guests were invited to share their journeys to citizenship and reflect on what being a Canadian citizen means to them. A total of 70 people were present at the station to congratulate the new citizens.
"Just as VIA Rail helps Canadians connect with the country," said ICC CEO Charlie Foran, "so do the roundtables at our ceremonies encourage conversation, connection, and a celebration of what it means to become Canadian."
"VIA Rail's partnership with ICC began in 2012 and we are proud to have welcomed over 25,000 new Canadians at our stations and aboard of our trains. Our involvement in this ceremony lies within our belief that diversity is our greatest strength," said VIA Rail's President and Chief Executive Officer, Yves Desjardins-Siciliano. "Our creativity and innovation are drawn from our difference and the different origins of our people. New citizens are part of this strength and a source of great pride for our country."
VIA Rail is proud to host citizenship ceremonies in its stations since 2015. These ceremonies are part of a long standing relationship with the ICC and its Cultural Access Pass (CAP) program. As part of this partnership, the ICC'S Cultural Access Pass offers all new Canadian citizens a 50% discount on the best rate in effect for travel on VIA Rail trains. This one-time pass can be used during their first year as Canadian citizens to discover and explore some of the 400 Canadian communities VIA Rail serves.
About The Institute for Canadian Citizenship
Powered by a passionate and committed national network, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) delivers programs and special projects that inspire Canadians to be inclusive, create opportunities to connect, and encourage active citizenship. The ICC is a national charity co-founded by the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul.
About VIA Rail Canada
As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and its 2,700 employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada, and safely transports nearly four million passengers annually. The Corporation was awarded seven Safety Awards by the Railway Association of Canada over the last eight years. For more information, visit: www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.
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Information: Alykhan Haji, Institut pour la citoyenneté canadienne, 416 459-6466, [email protected]; Mariam Diaby, Relations Médias, VIA Rail Canada, 514 871-6010, 1 877 393-8787, [email protected], [email protected]
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