We were Latvian by Birth and Canadian by Choice

I came to Canada from Latvia in 1948 with my husband and our three young children. Our fourth child was born the following year. My husband and I attended university in Latvia in the 1930s, married in 1937, and were creating a good life together with our young family. But that came to an abrupt end with the invasion of our country by both the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany during World War II. In early 1945, in the middle of the night, we boarded a fishing boat and crossed the Baltic Sea to Sweden. Three years later, we set sail for North America on a passenger liner. We were full of hope for our new life in Canada and I imagined that everything would soon be fine. What an awakening!

We arrived in New York and took a train to Montreal and then to Red Deer, to be met by our sponsor, a friend of my husband’s from Latvia. We were also met by a prairie blizzard – such cold and snow! The friends who sponsored us were poor – and I mean poor! Other people in their position would never have considered sharing their home with a family of five and helping them immigrate to Canada. We were very grateful to them, and as I look back I appreciate them even more. But at the time I was in shock; I had never lived in such conditions. During those first weeks, oh how I wished that I could just go back to Sweden. Canada seemed to be such a backward country!

But Canadians treated us very well. They were friendly and helpful, even though we couldn’t speak their language. I learned to speak English by reading magazines and listening to the radio, and later joined a community club. I have been an avid reader in English ever since.

If I were to share my thoughts on citizenship with young Canadians, I would tell them to get to know their country, to become educated citizens. When our nine-year-old son started school in Alberta, he was amazed to discover that many of his classmates did not know who their provincial leader was, even though Premier Manning had been in office for five years. I have noticed that many Canadians I meet know nothing of the geography of their own country. It would seem that they just don’t care, but perhaps they take their country for granted because they have never known anything different.

I would also urge young Canadians to appreciate their country. My husband always used to say, "I am a Latvian by birth and a Canadian by choice." Perhaps people can only truly value their rights and freedoms when they have not always had them. As immigrants fleeing an occupied country, we knew what Canada was offering us. Despite the difficulties of adjusting to life here in those early years, my husband and I valued our Canadian citizenship highly. Latvians have always lived under the threat of control by neighbouring countries, so I was brought up to understand the meaning of freedom. To be able to speak freely without fear was probably the one freedom that we valued the most as new Canadians.

Dome Church, Riga		Freedom Monument

Canadians should also appreciate the benefits of their citizenship and the opportunities to work and to receive an education. My husband was always so proud that, although we came to Canada with nothing, we made a good life for ourselves without financial help from anyone, and our four children all received a university education. There were no programs for immigrants when we arrived, but the language classes offered today are a very good idea. Newcomers should take advantage of them so they can fully participate in Canadian society.

Citizenship comes with responsibilities. Canadian citizens should vote and, like most immigrants, should understand the importance of their right to vote. They should also support one another as fellow citizens. Too many Canadians criticize one another instead of standing together. I live in Alberta, but I am a Canadian first and I think that westerners should not be so hostile to people in other parts of the country. They would have a much stronger voice if they were willing to work together with the rest of the nation. We all have the freedom to criticize, but we should also be aware of what is good about Canada.

When I first arrived here, there were times when I wanted to return to Europe because life was so very difficult for us in those early years, but now I am happy that we took the risk to come to Canada. My Canadian citizenship is very important to me.

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