'Today is my big day': 30 people become Canadians in a special Windsor ceremony

Becoming Canadian was a family affair for Fartun Ali Noor and her daughters Thursday as they joined dozens of others in a special citizenship ceremony.

The Canada 150 ceremony took place at St. Joseph's Catholic High School, and 30 people from 17 countries took the oath to become Canadians.

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"Today is my big day, I'm so happy," said Ali Noor who immigrated from Somalia about 10 years ago. "I'm very proud to be a Canadian citizen."

Two of Ali Noor's daughters also took the oath, and her younger children helped by singing along to the national anthem.

"The entire week we've been celebrating as a student body what we feel it is to be a Canadian," said Dave Labute, principal at St. Joseph's. "For the student body to see how important it was for these people to be here in Canada was something that they must see."

The school held several events to celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary, including guest speakers on Indigenous and French roots, and a Canadian film festival.

Labute said the school was excited to host the ceremony, and added it was a great opportunity for the student body to get a real sense of what it means to be a Canadian besides the stereotypical symbols like beavers and moose.

"We have 30 people that are coming into the country that have chosen Canada specifically for a reason that they feel makes them Canadian and those are things we can't tap into."

Ali Noor's daughters said the ceremony had them dreaming of their futures.

"I was thinking where I'm going to go and what I'm going to do," said 10-year-old Semira.

Her older sister Ramla said she is looking forward to a career in medicine.

"I want to be a doctor when I grow up," said Ramla. "I just want to make lives better and I just want to be helpful and help the community around me."