Federal bureaucrats posed as new Canadians in Sun TV ceremony
The Canadian Press has reported that at least six federal bureaucrats stood in as “new Canadians” in a citizenship reaffirmation ceremony at Sun TV studios last October.
The Canadian Press has reported that at least six federal bureaucrats stood in as “new Canadians” in a citizenship reaffirmation ceremony at Sun TV studios last October.
In the weeks prior to Canada’s Citizenship Week last October, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s office approached Sun News about hosting a citizenship ceremony in their studios, CP reports. However, after Sun News reportedly only showed interest in airing the oath and declined to go cover one of the other ceremonies taking place, it was suggested that they find new Canadian citizens to come into the studio to reaffirm their oath.
When only three new citizens showed up, at least six employees from Kenney’s Citizenship and Immigration Canada office were asked to participate, says CP. It is unclear whether the person who rounded out the 10 people who participated in the ceremony was a staffer or a new citizen.
Both Sun News host Alex Pierson and a spokesperson for Kenney were shocked to hear about the presence of bureaucrats at the ceremony, though Kenney’s spokesperson said the decision was made by civil servants without informing the network or Kenney's office. Sarge Sasseville, a spokesperson for Sun News parent company Quebecor, told CP the company did not wish to comment.
Here is the Sun News video of the reaffirmation ceremony.
Read the whole Canadian Press story here. And below is a CP video that sums up how things happened.
