Citizenship and Immigration Canada
www.cic.gc.ca
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Citizenship judges: Roles and responsibilities
Senior Citizenship Judge
The Citizenship Commission is headed by the Senior Citizenship Judge, who is first among equals.
The Senior Citizenship Judge is responsible for ensuring that citizenship judges perform their statutory and administrative duties under the Citizenship Act, and acts as the link between citizenship judges, the Minister and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration on citizenship issues.
The Senior Judge also acts as a spokesperson for the Commission, and manages the administrative and professional services that the Commission provides for judges.
Citizenship Judges
Citizenship judges are appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister. Appointments are for full- or part-time positions, and do not usually exceed three years.
Although citizenship judges are, first and foremost, quasi-judicial decision makers, the public is much more aware of their ceremonial and ambassadorial roles.
Judges preside over citizenship ceremonies, during which they have the honour and privilege of welcoming new citizens into the Canadian family. At citizenship ceremonies, judges administer the Oath of Citizenship and speak to new citizens about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. But, more importantly, it is at these ceremonies and at promotional events in the community that judges pass on their pride, enthusiasm and respect for the institution of Canadian citizenship.
