Katalaya Fischer brought her plush unicorn and bunny to see her daddy become a Canadian on Canada Day in a ceremony at historic Fort Langley.
As the two-year-old from Clayton Heights snuggled with mom Laura and her toys, her father Marcel took his place with 39 others.
Shortly before he raised his hand and said the oath of citizenship, Marcel was asked what were some of the things that drew him from his native Germany to his new country.
"The awesome nature," he replied.
"The freedom around [what] you can do here. I hunt, I have a dirt bike, I have a lot of fun outdoors.”
Horticulturist, author and Order of Canada member Brian Minter, who presided over the swearing-in, drew applause when he described Canada as the "best country in the world."
"You're going to wake up tomorrow as a Canadian citizen," Minter said.
Among the family, friends and dignitaries present were a couple from Aldergrove, Lee Herron and Andrea Till, regular visitors who attend to honour the memory of family members, who, like the 40, were Canadian by choice.
"One of my great-grandparents came from England to Canada, and my other great-grandparent came from the States and became a Canadian citizen," explained Till, who estimated they have been attending the Fort Langley event for "probably 10-plus years."
MP Tako van Popta, MLA Megan Dykeman and Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward welcomed the 40 new Canadians, one by one, after they swore allegiance to King Charles and Canada.
Crowds turned out to celebrate Canada Day at historic Fort Langley pic.twitter.com/8g2ZuCguS9
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) July 1, 2024
On a rain-free Canada Day, with the sun beginning to peek through the clouds, hundreds of people came out to see the other attractions at the historic Fort, and at the B.C. Farm Museum across the street.
On Monday, a busy museum vice-president Grace Muller was summarizing some of the many attractions drawing crowds inside the museum, and to the street outside.
On Canada Day the B.C. Farm Museum welcomed guests with displays inside and outside pic.twitter.com/yysgdh52SA
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) July 1, 2024
And outside, live music and cute animals from Langley's Aldor Acres farm.
A few blocks away in what is sometimes called the pop-up park at Glover Road and Mary Avenue, some Langley Township firefighters were spending their Canada Day barbecuing burgers to raise money for charity.
Township of Langley firefighters are barbecuing up a storm at Glover and Mary in Fort Langley to raise funds for burn victims. They are there till 3 p.m. pic.twitter.com/Uve6Mj4DXo
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) July 1, 2024
Zach Funk, one of the directors of the firefighters charitable society, said it was their sixth annual barbecue raising funds for the BC burn fund.
"All the proceeds today will go towards burn survivors and people who are dealing with burn trauma, also help provide a way for kids who have had to deal with these types of injuries to go to a space that they feel safe and is accessible to them as a burn camp, as we call it," Funk told the Langley Advance Times.
It was also an opportunity for kids to get a look inside two fire trucks parked beside the barbecue.
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