NEVER TOO LATE TO BE CANADIAN
Octogenarians Ellie and Michael Sewell of North Vancouver are set to become Canadian citizens at a Canada Day ceremony atop Grouse Mountain
Ellie and Michael Sewell are both more than 80 years old, so when they become Canadian citizens Wednesday atop Grouse Mountain, high above their North Vancouver home, they are likely to become some of the oldest new Canadians.
“He’s my toy boy,” the 88-year-old Ellie jokes of husband Michael, who is just 83.
Based on what he saw when his daughter became a Canadian citizen a few years ago, Michael agreed that he and his wife of 44 years might be among the more mature individuals choosing the true north strong and free.
“There weren’t many old people,” he recalled.
His wife agreed.
“I don’t suppose they get many of my age becoming citizens,” she said. “I think we were quite courageous to make the move at our age.”
Citizenship and Immigration Canada couldn’t say where the Sewells rank among elder newcomers, citing privacy laws.
In fact, the federal government division in charge of citizenship and immigration couldn’t even break down the ages of newcomers to Canada, or even the average age.
“Unfortunately, we do not publish citizenship data by age,” said spokesman Bruce Hicks, who referred such probing questions to Statistics Canada.
Unlike the government, the Sewells were quite willing to talk, and shared their reasons for moving to Canada.
Their son Peter was the first to come to Canada when he was working on a film.
“He also fell in love with a girl here, who he subsequently married,” Ellie said.
She said their daughter Julie came to visit her brother and “fell in love with it,” moving to B.C. with her husband and three kids.
With their children and grandchildren in the Lower Mainland, the couple made the move about six years ago from a village in Cheshire in the north of England to a village in North Vancouver — specifically Edgemont Village.
“We had been coming on holidays, so we knew what it was like,” Ellie said. “We love it here. We have a lovely apartment. We can see Grouse Mountain.
“We’ve settled down really well and we’ve got some lovely friends. I think Canadians are absolutely fabulous.”
She can even watch her favourite soccer team, Manchester United, and has become a fan of the Vancouver Canucks.
“The only problem is I wished they played it with a football because I can’t see the puck,” she said.
There’s really just one downside to the Sewells’ change in surroundings.
“I think the only thing we miss is the English countryside, which is totally different than here,” Michael said.
The Grouse Mountain citizenship ceremony is one of seven being held around B.C. on Canada Day. The other ceremonies will take place in Fort Langley, Richmond, Vancouver, Victoria, Kamloops and Kelowna.
“We’ve settled down really well and we’ve got some lovely friends. I think Canadians are absolutely fabulous.” — Ellie Sewell