At the Meet and Greet, many of you talked about wanting to know our Community more intimately - more than the average citizen.
I wondered how we should start exploring our environnent..... so let's begin with some things to think about...and a citizenship challenge... (Do you remember who said, "Challenge me...make me uncomfortable!")
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| Nature is the ultimate metaphor for "belonging in community". Photo by Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2010 |
Here goes: I’d like you to think about the meaning of “COMMUNITY”.
How would you define it?
Words like… “place”, “people”, “connection”, “home and family”, “neighbourhoods”, "nationality" ... ?
What makes Thunder Bay a Community, and how do we know that we belong here?
We'll explore that question more at the Retreat.
Back to Roots
The word “community” has old roots from an Indo-European based “mei”, meaning “change” or “exchange”. Mei joined “com”, meaning “with”. The combined word became “kommein”, or “shared by all”.
The idea of “change or exchange, shared by all” is close to the meaning of community today. Community building is a core strategy for sharing the burdens and benefits of change and exchange.
Leading Community
In leadership terms, we will be exploring the ways that communities transform and shift from what they used to be, to what they can become. We will be thinking about the structure and dynamics of belonging. We will need ideas from diverse backgrounds and disciplines and translate them into simple, structured actions.
As Peter Block says: “We must be willing to trade problems for possibilities.”
- “How do we create community? "
- "How do we create a future that doesn’t only get better, but is of a different nature than the one we now experience? "
- "How do we create a community where all people feel they belong?”
Let’s Start Here: Belonging in Community - Citizenship
In other words, community and citizenship don’t just happen by chance. Neither does citizenship, the privilege of belonging to a certain community. Informal citizenship is easier than formal citizenship, isn’t it?
So here is a challenge for you…
Belonging in Community: Can You Pass the Test?
If you are Canadian born and bred, you most likely haven’t thought about trying to pass the Canadian Citizenship Test. We take our citizenship for granted. This is your chance to explore the requirements to officially “belong” to the Canadian Community.
An Alumnus from last year’s LTB class, Yolibeth Mejias de Pernia,
aced the actual Government test with a 100% mark. Could you?
(Yolibeth’s full story next week!)
She says: "Venezuelan by birth, Canadian by choice," I made Canada my country of choice for Permanent Residency. I have worked hard to build my future in this great country. Becoming a Citizen of Canada is one of the most important steps I have ever taken in my life. I thank god I became Canadian... after all these years of waiting and hoping... it end ups with a great feeling... although I've passed my citizenship test in 2008 but believe it or not I'm still feeling great and proud of this achievement which changed my live to the best."
The Canadian Citizenship Test
Here’s a sample of the questions from the Government of Canada’s website.
Time requirement: 30 minutes.
In order to become a Canadian citizen, you must demonstrate a basic knowledge of Canada by passing a multiple choice test.
All the questions found on the citizenship test are based on information provided in the citizenship study guide Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship.
You will be required to successfully answer questions on the following topics:
· The rights and responsibilities of a Canadian citizen (including the right to vote in elections, the right to run for elected office in Canada and voting procedures)
· Canada’s government and social, cultural and political history
· Canada’s geography
How many of these Citizenship Questions can you answer correctly?
1. Name two key documents that contain our rights and freedoms.
2. Identify four (4) rights that Canadians enjoy.
3. Name four (4) fundamental freedoms that Canadians enjoy?
4. What is meant by the equality of women and men?
5. What are some examples of taking responsibility for yourself and your family?
6. Who were the founding peoples of Canada?
7. Who are the Métis?
8. What does the word “Inuit” mean?
9. What is meant by the term “responsible government”?
10. Who was Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine?
11. What did the Canadian Pacific Railway symbolize?
12. What does Confederation mean?
13. What is the significance of the discovery of insulin by Sir Frederick Banting and Charles Best?
14. What does it mean to say that Canada is a constitutional monarchy?
15. What are the three branches of government?
16. What is the difference between the role of the Queen and that of the Prime Minister?
17. What is the highest honour that Canadians can receive?
18. When you go to vote on election day, what do you do?
19. Who is entitled to vote in Canadian federal elections?
20. After an election, which party forms the government?
21. Who is your Member of Parliament?
22. What are the three levels of government?
23. What is the role of the courts in Canada?
24. Name two Canadian symbols.
25. What provinces are sometimes referred to as the Atlantic Provinces?
All the answers can be found in the citizenship study guide Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. Go to: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/cit-sample.asp
Did you ace the test or struggle? Tell us...
COMMENTS: Go to www.xowhat.blogspot.com . Scroll down to the end of this article. Click on “Comment”. Write as much or as little as you like. If you're a first time blogger, just jump in!
What are your reactions to “belonging to community” and the Citizenship quiz.?
Yours in Leadership and in Community
Maggie
Yolibeth’s story about her Citizenship Ceremony will be in next week’s blog.
