Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Study Guide – Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

The Oath of Citizenship / Le serment de citoyenneté

I swear (or affirm)
That I will be faithful
And bear true allegiance
To Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second
Queen of Canada
Her Heirs and Successors
And that I will faithfully observe
The laws of Canada
And fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.

Je jure (ou j’affirme solennellement)
Que je serai fidèle
Et porterai sincère allégeance
à Sa Majesté la Reine Elizabeth Deux
Reine du Canada
À ses héritiers et successeurs
Que j’observerai fidèlement les lois du Canada
Et que je remplirai loyalement mes obligations
de citoyen canadien.

Understanding the Oath

In Canada, we profess our loyalty to a person who represents all Canadians and not to a document such as a constitution, a banner such as a flag, or a geopolitical entity such as a country. In our constitutional monarchy, these elements are encompassed by the Sovereign (Queen or King). It is a remarkably simple yet powerful principle: Canada is personified by the Sovereign just as the Sovereign is personified by Canada.

 

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