UAE | General
Expats mark Canada's 142nd birthday
Canadians' contributions in education, architecture and medical services remembered.
- By Mahmood Saberi, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:04 July 4, 2009
- Gabriel and Laura Rusu and their 10-month-old son, Victor, enjoy the fun activities. Canadian expats celebrated Canada Day at the Ritz Carlton. The high temperature and humidity were not problems for the 150 participants.
- Image Credit: Francois Nel/Gulf News
Dubai: Canadian expatriates had a fun time celebrating their country's birthday on the Dubai Marina beach on the weekend though it was a hot day and humidity was at a record high.
July 1 is Canada Day, but the organisers decided to move it to a Friday for families and children to take part in the celebrations, said Richard Seguin, Consul and Trade Commissioner. "We are celebrating Canada's 142nd birthday," he said.
There are about 23,000 Canadians in the UAE and the majority are in Dubai, said the consul. The Canadians are mostly in teaching and medical services and many of the landmark buildings (in Dubai ) have been designed by Canadians, he said.
Tiny red and white flags were placed around the grass and some children had Canada's striking colours painted on their faces as the music played in the background. About 150 people turned up for the open barbecue at the Ritz Carlton beachside.
D'andre Ma, executive director of the Canadian Business Council, said a number of fun activities had been planned for members of the Canadian Business Council and expatriates.
It is a double celebration for the Canadians as the country is preparing to host the forthcoming 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, bringing the Games to Canada for the third time.
Roger Shreenan from Halifax, who was enjoying the barbecue with his wife and child, said, "We love Dubai. But we miss home mostly because of family and friends we have left behind."
Canada Day celebrates the July 1, 1867 anniversary of the enactment of the British North America Act which established the unified country of Canada by combining the four colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Province of Canada (now Ontario and Quebec) into a federation.
Share this article
Popular in UAE
-
Have your say
Living in untidy homes
Do you think that people who live in untidy homes have bad character?
Latest news
- Complaints against cab drivers decline
- Camel in RAK gives birth to twins
- No hike in water, electricity rates
- Thalassaemia website 'will help educate youth'
- Saif is appointed Emiratisation chief
- Experts call for reviewing green cost of desalination
- Readers: Less water usage means less desalination
- Dubai Police open centre to combat marine pollution
- Pavement parking irks pedestrians
- Man jailed 3 years in fatal assault of colleague
- Murder: Mother gets stiffer sentence
- Traffic Prosecution adopts humanitarian step
- 'All-green' project to ease traffic flow
- UAE starts administering H1N1 vaccines
- Diplomacy: Envoys received
Community Reports
-
Pavement parking irks pedestrians
Gulf News reader calls on authorities to step in and stop car owners from invading pathways meant for safe walking
-
Faded parking lines pose a problem
Motorists could be fined for parking incorrectly even though they can hardly see the boundaries in the designated areas
-
School buses block residential parking
Commercial vehicles taking up free parking facilities in Al Wuheida, inconveniencing residents in surrounding villas
-
Community report: Doing their bit for poor children
A group of students takes concrete action to raise funds for Dubai Cares
