How Canadian History Shaped my Identity

The Canadian Citizenship Act of 1947 is an important moment in Canadian history and one that particularly shaped my identity as it helped promote diversity and created a strong sense of nationalism in Canada. Up until January 1st, 1947, there was no such thing as a legal Canadian citizen. People born inside of Canada and naturalized immigrants were recognized as British subjects. After World War Two ended in 1945, the population of Canada was increasingly becoming more diverse, and something was needed to unify the country. Two years later, the Citizenship Act was born, and people from anywhere could become Canadian. Around twenty years later, my paternal family emigrated from Egypt to Canada, and it was because of the Citizenship Act they felt so welcome into the country, and today my whole family lives with the same freedoms as anyone else in Canada.