The Saskatoon Blades hosted the first Canadian citizenship ceremony at a Western Hockey League game Sunday afternoon.
“It’s wonderful and a great experience,” said Abolade Oluwabiyi, who is originally from Nigeria and has been in Canada since 2012. “I love Saskatoon, but not the wintertime.”
Twenty new Canadian citizens were welcomed and had a chance to try hockey and skating for the first time.
“I think it’s pretty cool for it to be at the Blades stadium because that is such a Canadian thing,” said Jessica Jackson, who immigrated from New Zealand. “It’s our culture in New Zealand to travel, I came to Canada and just never left.”
New #canadians shooting pucks with @BladesHockey Steve Hogle #yxe pic.twitter.com/n1XQ7RNCr9
— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) January 22, 2017
The 20 Canadians said their oath in front of 4,200 fans, who gave them a standing ovation afterward.
Canadian oath just taken by 20 new Canadians in #yxe @BladesHockey pic.twitter.com/GbCUvs7qS3
— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) January 22, 2017