| Part of a series on |
| Canadian citizenship |
|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Transparentcanadapassporticon.png) |
 Canada portal |
The Oath of Citizenship, or Citizenship Oath (in French: serment de citoyenneté), is a statement recited and signed by those who apply to become citizens of Canada. Administered at a ceremony presided over by a designated official, the oath is a promise or declaration of fealty to the Canadian monarch and a promise to abide by Canada's laws and uphold the duties of a Canadian citizen; upon signing the oath, citizenship is granted to the applicant.[1]
The vow's roots lie in the oath of allegiance taken in the United Kingdom, the modern form of which was implemented in 1689 by King William II and III and Queen Mary II and was inherited by and used in Canada prior to 1947.[2] With the enactment of the Citizenship Act that year, the Canadian Oath of Citizenship was established. Proposals for modification of the oath have surfaced from time to time, including removing references to the sovereign, adding loyalty to societal principles, and/or adding specific mention to Canada. However, it is maintained within Canada's legal system that an oath to the sovereign is "in fact an oath to a domestic institution that represents egalitarian governance and the rule of law".[3] Consequently, it has only been modified twice, once in 1977 and again in 2021.
- ^ Citizenship and Immigration Canada (2011), Guide to Citizenship Ceremonies (PDF), CP 15, Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada (published 21 December 2011), p. 6, archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2012, retrieved 28 August 2013
- ^ Walker, Aileen; Wood, Edward (14 February 2000), The Parliamentary Oath (PDF), Research Paper 00/17, Westminster: House of Commons Library, p. 17, archived from the original (PDF) on 19 December 2008, retrieved 6 January 2009
- ^ Morgan, J. (2013). McAteer et al. v. Attorney General of Canada, 2013 ONSC 5895. Ontario Superior Court of Justice. p. 13.