‘The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’ begins on July 6 with the start of the Calgary Stampede, and CAP members are once again invited to the annual 10-day celebration of culture, heritage, and community spirit.

For the seventh year in a row, the Calgary Stampede is partnering with the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) to provide 500 free admission passes to members of the ICC’s Cultural Access Pass (CAP) program.

“We are proud to be a partner of the CAP program. As a community organization, the Stampede is always looking for ways to connect with new Calgarians and share our western hospitality and welcome them to The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth!,” says Kathryn Jenkins, manager, organizational communications & community engagement at the Calgary Stampede.

New Canadian citizens who sign-up for CAP membership enjoy free admission to more than 1,400 arts and culture sites across the country. The only program of its kind in the world, CAP connects new Canadian citizens and their families to their communities, builds a heightened sense of inclusion and belonging, and encourages active participation in Canadian arts and culture.

“The Cultural Access Pass is a unique way for new Canadian citizens to become both active participants in and contributors to arts and culture in Canada,” says Yasmine Mohamed, Director, Cultural Access Pass. “By opening their gates to our country’s newest citizens, the Stampede is continuing a longstanding tradition of making everyone feel welcome, included, and involved.”

The 2018 Calgary Stampede is happening from July 6 – 15.

For more information about the Calgary Stampede, visit www.calgarystampede.com.

For more information about the Cultural Access Pass, visit culturalaccesspass.ca

Yolanda Theophilus immigrated to Canada in 2012 from The Bahamas, and she became a Canadian citizen in September of 2017. Still in her first year of citizenship, Yolanda is actively using her Cultural Access Pass to visit cultural attractions and is taking advantage of CAP performing arts offers in the Toronto area.

“I chose Canada because I studied at Acadia University in 2005 and was impressed with what it had to offer, including its values and culture,” says Yolanda, “When I first arrived, my goals were to settle into Toronto, make this country my home, and eventually become a Canadian citizen. Professionally, I aspired to obtain a position in my accounting profession… My plans also included meeting a diverse set of people, integrating well into the Canadian culture, and becoming actively involved in the community.

“I have gained positive experiences since coming to Canada such as, obtaining professional experiences and meeting amazing people from around the world and all walks of life. I cherish the great memories of fun-filled activities and Canadian adventures. I now feel even more strongly a part of the community and now Canada is my home.”

Yolanda received in citizenship in 2017 and is still actively pursuing her professional and personal goals. “In my first few years as a Canadian citizen, my desire is to obtain a stable career, settle into a nice home, and travel to more Canadian provinces,” says Yolanda. “I look forward to a happy and healthy Canadian lifestyle. I’m also excited about having a family someday. One of my goals is to grow my business advisory practice, under my incorporated company, Ultimate Consulting Inc.”

She enjoys traveling, attending cultural events, and writing – she even wrote a book in 2017.

“I am enthusiastic about attending the arts, culture, festivities, and multicultural events,” says Yolanda, “My Cultural Access Pass has allowed me to attend an opera, a play, and an orchestra. I visited most tourist attractions in Toronto, hiked and went on a Rocky Mountain bus tour in Vancouver, visited Montreal and more.

“It is important for newcomers [and new citizens] to be a part of the cultural life that makes them share in the Canadian experience of the past and its origins. Overall, I feel that shared experiences, connecting with a diverse set of people, and exposure to interesting places has a profound positive impact on my openness and relationships with others.

“The journey to success is a recipe of a cup of efforts and resources, a spoonful of goals in a bowl of valuable experiences stirred with passion and baked over time. It’s important to feel connected and integrated into a new community and the Cultural Access Pass has given me some of these valuable experiences and further infused my passion and motivated me to pursue my goals.”

About CAP: For nearly 10 years, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) has delivered the Cultural Access Pass (CAP), an innovative, best-in-class program that gives new citizens access to Canadian culture. It’s time to shift CAP to the digital age. Support the ICC.

Be featured in our newsletter: Tag CAP and use the hashtag #CAPCanada in your social media posts for your chance to be the next CAP member or alumni featured, or send an email to cap@forcitizenship.ca

Parks Canada national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas help tell the stories of who we are as Canadians and constitute some of Canada’s most treasured cultural, historic, and natural places.

The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) began working with Parks Canada in 2012 to offer new Canadian citizens free admission to all Parks Canada sites across the country through the Cultural Access Pass (CAP) program. The CAP program provides new Canadian citizens in their first year of citizenship free admission to more than 1400 cultural spaces across the country, including museums, art galleries, science centres, and parks. Since 2012, there have been more than 30 000 visits to Parks Canada places through CAP.

Today in Ottawa, the Hon. Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the renewal of the partnership between the ICC and Parks Canada, which will result in free admission for new Canadian citizens through the CAP program.

“In Canada, we are fortunate to have natural and cultural landscapes as diverse as the citizens that call it home. Following the largest-ever consultation on Parks Canada, one of my goals is to encourage more Canadians—particularly new Canadians—to experience the outdoors and learn about our environment and history,” said Minister McKenna at a special Canada Day citizenship ceremony at Rideau Canal National Historic Site’s Hartwells Lockstation. “That’s why I am proud that we are offering free admission for new Canadians to Parks Canada places as a way to celebrate and discover Canada’s history and natural wonder.”

Earlier this year, Parks Canada also introduced free admission for youth 17 and under.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Parks Canada to encourage new citizens to make lifelong connections to national parks and historic sites through our Cultural Access Pass,” said Charlie Foran, CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. “Now, as Canadian citizens, these spectacular places across the country are both their right and their responsibility.”

Learn more about Parks Canada at parkscanada.ca. For more information on the ICC’s Cultural Access Pass, visit culturalaccesspass.ca.

To find attractions in your area, head to Cultural Access Pass Directory and search your city.

ICC launches partnership with TD Bank as Presenting Sponsor of the Cultural Access Pass

On April 23^rd, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) welcomed TD Bank as the Presenting Sponsor of its Cultural Access Pass (CAP) program with a celebratory roundtable conversation on arts, culture, and inclusion at the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts in Toronto.

The ICC’s co-chairs, the Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul, were joined at the event by Kelvin Tran, Senior Vice President and Chief Auditor at TD Bank, who made the announcement.

“TD wants to help open doors to an inclusive tomorrow where everyone feels connected to their community. This is exactly what the Cultural Access Pass does,” said Tran.

With TD’s sponsorship of $1.7 million over 3 years, the ICC will enhance and expand the CAP program over the coming year.

“Over the past decade, 265 000 Canadians have benefitted from the Cultural Access Pass in their first year of citizenship,” said Yasmine Mohamed, Director, Cultural Access Pass, who spoke at the event. “They’ve told us that the program has let them celebrate their Canadian citizenship; that it has helped them take ownership of and contribute to Canadian culture; and that it has made them feel more included in their communities and, as a result, inspired them to become more active citizens.”

“We couldn’t be happier to be partnering with TD Bank, which has a long track record of championing diversity and inclusion through the arts,” said Charlie Foran, the ICC’s CEO.

Guests at the event included key Cultural Access Pass partners, including representatives from the Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Canadian Opera Company; ICC partners and donors; and TD Bank and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship representatives. Many of the guests were also current and former members of the CAP program, including TD staff members Shabbir Patanwala, Ahmed Khan and Jonathan Almanza.

The event was hosted in partnership with the Canadian Opera Company (COC) at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The COC is a valued partner in the CAP program, and generously provides CAP members with free admission to dress rehearsal performances.

The only program of its kind in the world, the ICC’s Cultural Access Pass gives new Canadian citizens the chance to explore, travel, and discover Canada during their first year of citizenship. For more information, visit culturalaccesspass.ca.

To find attractions in your area, head to Cultural Access Pass Directory and search your city.

Erika Tan and her family became Canadian citizens on March 2nd, 2018, and she received her CAP card shortly afterwards.

“My family has been using the Cultural Access Pass from the moment we received it,” says Erika. “We are very grateful and this whole experience could not be any better.  We learn so much about the rich culture and history of Canada every time we visit a new place. Thank you!”

Learn about Erika Tan’s journey to citizenship and belonging in Canada in a story written by her:

A New Hope and Beyond

One Sunday afternoon, my daughter and I were learning the notes of “O Canada” on the piano. I looked at my daughter and thought about all of the great opportunities she will have in this country. As we were playing the notes, I could not help to sing the National Anthem while I reminisced about the journey my family took to come to Canada.

Unlike many fellow immigrants, my family did not flee from a war-torn country nor were we running away from any political disputes. My husband and I came to the United States as students; he from Colombia and me from Indonesia.  Although we are from opposite ends of the world, speak different first languages, and come from different cultures, the phrase “opposites attract” really applies to us. Despite, or because of, our differences, we got married and were blessed with two beautiful children.  However, after living in the country for twelve years as young professionals, we found no prospect of attaining permanent residency in America. The option of going back to either one of our home countries seemed arduous and we were afraid of losing the unique family dynamic that we already created in North America. In the midst of desperation, an opportunity to submit our permanent residency applications to Canada emerged. Despite the application process being a lot of work with many steps to follow, it went relatively smooth. After waiting for two long years, we finally received a letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada informing us that our application had been accepted.

We immediately started the process of relocating to Canada by giving away many of the belongings that we had accumulated over the last twelve years to friends and family.  We proudly secured the “For Sale” sign in front of our house ready for the next family to move in.  By the time we were ready to move, we were left with nothing but a few pieces of luggage filled with clothes, shoes, important documents, pictures, and a few treasured items. Our decision to bring only clothes to Canada was for the sake of simplicity of moving intercountry. I remember looking at the empty spaces in our old house and my heart filled with so much hope. We did not know what the future would look like at that time but somehow we knew that everything was going to be just fine.

After driving those ten long and anxiety-filled hours, we finally reached Coutts, Alberta to cross the U.S.-Canada border.  Regardless of the preparations my husband and I took as we carefully packed our belongings compactly into the car together with our small children to set our future in Canada, we worried that it was still not enough. We prepared every single document pertaining to our lives just in case the Immigration Officer had any doubts of our legitimacy. The Immigration Officer asked some routine questions at the gate such as whether we had any firearms, alcohol, or tobacco and we told the Officer that we did not bring anything except clothes. After the officer looked at our documents, we were asked to park our car and enter the office for them to process our arrival.

“Welcome to Canada,” said the Immigration Officer while stamping away at our documents without even looking up. It was not a friendly gesture, more like a robotic, habitual greeting, but we accepted it with [gratitude] nonetheless. The big, broad smiles on our faces were not even close to reflecting how happy and full our hearts were. Stamped documents in hand, we piled back into the car and drove towards our new life.  Without really understanding the meaning of the big, wooden “Welcome to Alberta – Wild Rose Country” sign, we stopped anyway to take a family picture to commemorate the moment.  I welled with pride during that moment when my husband softly whispered in my ear, “We are home.”

A few years have gone by since our arrival and we have settled in fine; actually more than fine. Today, I feel truly blessed to live in this bountiful and great country called Canada.  The feeling of immense gratitude that I share with millions of other immigrants and refugees towards the people and the country with their open arms, vast generosity, and blatant kindness is beyond words.  Not only has Canada welcomed our family, but it has also embraced us, making us part of its great mosaic.   This feeling of open acceptance is what makes Canada one of the best countries to live in.  We owe this country so much and appreciate every opportunity it has given especially for our children with regards to education, acceptance, and security, and the only thing we want to do is give back to the community and continue this cycle of giving.  This year is particularly poignant being the Sesquicentennial of Confederation, and we are proud to join the rest of the country as we celebrate Canada, this great place we call home.

About CAP: For nearly 10 years, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) has delivered the Cultural Access Pass (CAP), an innovative, best-in-class program that gives new citizens access to Canadian culture. It’s time to shift CAP to the digital age. Support the ICC.

Be featured in our newsletter: Tag CAP and use the hashtag #CAPCanada in your social media posts for your chance to be the next CAP member or alumni featured, or send an email to cap@forcitizenship.ca

To find attractions in your area, head to Cultural Access Pass Directory and search your city.