Pride flies high at Canada Day
The Canadian flag was proudly raised above Memorial Park during Swift Current’s Canada Day celebration on July 1.
A special flag raising was conducted by new Canadian Becky Stevenson, Wade Bridal and their children Xavier and Oliver. The ceremony beginning ceremony continued the Canada Day celebration tradition of having a newcomer family raise the flag.
Southwest Newcomer Welcome Centre Executive Director Icasiana de Gala, who raised the flag with her family last year, reminding the crowd in the park of the special feeling you get when being singled out for this honour.
“Every time I have big chills and I always feel a renewed sense of pride seeing the Canadian flag being raised.”
She reminded all Canadians to take time to proudly fly the flag on Canada Day.
“I ask you, if you have a Canadian flag at home, to raise that with your family and embrace the great privilege of being a Canadian.”
As the primary organization to welcome newcomers to the Southwest and help in their settlement process, the Southwest Newcomer Welcome Centre has welcomed over 200 newcomer clients and their families this past year, with a full 80 per cent of them staying in Swift Current.
Since 2010, newcomers from over 90 countries have landed in the Southwest. This makes the region as diverse as any Canadian city.
de Gale thanked residents from the City and across the Southwest for being welcoming.
“As immigrants, we all come here with our own stories, with our own past - whether you come from the Ukraine or the UK, from the Philippines, from China, Columbia, Cuba, or Pakistan, or even Syria or Eritrea.”
“No two stories are the same. Our experiences are as diverse as the many cultures we came with. However we are now all bound by the same land, in this case the Treaty Four Territory and the homeland of the Metis Nation. In this land we are all shaping the future of Canada, contributing in our own little ways to make this country what it is today and even greater.”
Swift Current MLA Everett Hindley, making his Canada Day debut as MLA, also recognized the importance of the day.
“Despite some of the challenges we sometimes face, I truly think that Canada is the best country in the world and we are very fortunate to live in this country.”
Swift Current Mayor Denis Perrault noted that more people are supporting the Grow Swift campaign, with18,558 city residents according to the most recent Health card stats, an increase from 18,187 a year ago.
“This is the greatest country in all of the world, and we happen to live in the best city in that country.”