Former mayor at home as citizenship judge
Ted Salci says the ‘very rewarding job’ filled the vacuum he experienced after years of living the public life of a mayor
Ted Salci doesn’t know what the word retirement means.
“I haven’t got any desire to. I’m afraid of the r-word,” says the 67-yearold, who was mayor of Niagara Falls between 2003 and 2010.
Even though Salci has stayed largely out of the public limelight for the last six years, he’s remained busy.
In 2011, he was named a citizenship judge on a three-year, part-time basis by the former Conservative federal government.
But it’s turned into anything but three years, and anything but part time.
“I work full time because the demand was there between Niagara Falls and Hamilton,” says Salci.
“I’ve also worked in Windsor, Ottawa, Kitchener, Thunder Bay and Mississauga.”
When he applied, Salci was one of 34 citizenship judges across Canada.
Salci was reappointed in 2014 for another three years, but on a fulltime basis.
He says the government will begin entertaining application requests for extensions, likely in the fall.
There are now just 13 citizenship judges in the country, says Salci.
“They haven’t appointed any judges since (the Liberals) became the government and the people I served with had (their terms) expired and they haven’t been requested to reapply yet, so we’re waiting for the reapplication process.”
Salci says he wakes up at 4 a.m. every morning and leaves his house for work at 5:30.
He arrives in his office in Hamilton — across from FirstOntario Centre — at 6:30 a.m.
“My hearings start at 8:30. I conduct hearings in the morning, I write decisions in the afternoon and I usually leave my office between 2:30 and 3 and return home.
“Sometimes I’m in my office until 5, sometimes they’re 12-hour days. I take French lessons on Wednesday and that’s why I stay a couple extra hours until 5.”
Salci says he often gets asked by residents what he’s up to and he explains to them how his role as a citizenship judge is, for the most part, a low-profile job.
“However, I see dozens and dozens of people throughout the week. If you think about the ceremonies that I conduct on Tuesdays and Fridays, there’s a couple hundred people, plus the hearings I conduct in my office, so it is a people business and of course I am a people person, so I always enjoy that,” he says.
“When you come off a stint as mayor, where you’re working 24-7 and I did that, and attending many events every day, it’s a bit of a vacuum (when you leave that position), but that was filled very quickly when I received my appointment.”
Salci says he conducts between 150 and 180 citizenship ceremonies per year, swearing-in about 9,000 new Canadians.
He says many people think citizenship judges only conduct swearing-in ceremonies, but they actually have more responsibilities.
“A majority of my job is behind a desk, or in Hamilton, where I’m conducting what we call residents hearings. That’s a quasi-judicial process where we determine if an applicant meets the requirements to qualify for Canadian citizenship. It’s like a mini trial,” he says.
“It’s formal, yet it’s casual enough that we sit with an applicant, they produce evidence and we cross-examine them, and they present us further evidence, and then I have to make a decision. When the hearing ends, I write my decision.”
In addition to ceremonies and hearings, Salci also attends promotional events, speaking to clubs, settlement groups and schools.
“We talk about requirements to become Canadian citizens and we encourage them to become citizens of Canada,” he says.
“It’s a very rewarding job. It’s a nice blend of both public and quiet, behind-the-scenes business.”
Salci says about 90 per cent of his time is spent in Hamilton, but he also has an office in Niagara Falls.
“Also I’m receiving applicants from Mississauga because we only have one judge in the Mississauga office, which normally has five. It’s a very busy office. I’m helping them get through their backlog of files.”
On Friday, he conducted his first hearing through a video conference, where he was in Niagara Falls interviewing an applicant from Ottawa.
Salci says the technology may allow him to spend more time in Niagara Falls.
“The video is a new tool we’re utilizing, so that basically they could utilize a judge to have hearings from any part of Canada.”
Salci says being a citizenship judge is a “wonderful job.”
“I see many people who are so excited about becoming Canadians. Sometimes it’s very emotional. I present their certificates and there’s tears in their eyes,” he says.
“One time I had a gentleman who passed his test and he dropped to the floor and I thought he was having a medical crisis and he was kissing the floor. Canadians don’t normally see that and, as Canadians, we take that for granted.
“These people come and they know Canada as a safe country, a respectful country, a clean country and they want to become Canadians.
“They have requirements when they’re admitted, like you see the Syrian refugees, they become permanent residents and after a period of time, usually three to four years, they apply for citizenship and if they meet the requirements of citizenship, then they become full-blown Canadians.”