'Viva Canada, Oh Canada': 17 new Canadians get citizenship just in time for 150th

Canada has 17 brand-new citizens in Winnipeg, just in time for its 150th birthday.

The group of new Canadians made their citizenship official at a ceremony on Saturday, swearing oaths in both English and French in honour of St. Jean Baptiste Day.

"I'm very happy today, very proud for this day," said Edgar Maurecio, who came to Canada from Ecuador.

"After five years, I'm very happy to become a new Canadian. I give all my best to continue to grow the beautiful country that gives me a lot of things."

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Maureciosaid the biggest challenge in the move has been improving his English. He found French easier to master because it's closerto Spanish, he said, and he lived in Montreal before arriving in Winnipeg.

Despite harsh winters and the language transition, he said he likes living in Manitoba.

"I want to say, viva Canada, Oh Canada. Very happy [to] become a new Canadian and very happy to [get] Canadian citizen in the anniversary [of] Canada."

'Really special'

The ceremony kicked off at The Forks at 3 p.m. and was hosted by the federal government in partnership with theSocitfranco-manitobaine.

"Knowing that it's the 150th this year, it's really great. It completes the circle, actually," said SebastienDe Lazzer, who moved to Canada from Belgium 4 years ago with his wife and two children, now six and eight years old.

All four became citizens on Saturday.

"It's hard to describe. It's an achievement, of course," De Lazzer said.

"We came here for the kids, you know, to have a better life for our kids, and because we knew the community, we knew the way of life of Canadians and that's what we wanted to embrace."

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De Lazzer said he'll beproud to show his family the national parks in Manitoba when they come visit from Belgium later this year.

"It's really special, 150," he said.