May 28, 2015         

 

Citizenship Judge Ruth Klein granted Canadian citizenship to 50 new Canadians at a Citizenship and Immigration Canada ceremony this morning at Toronto Paramedic Services headquarters, 4330 Dufferin St.

 

More than 100 guests in attendance saw the Toronto Paramedic Service Honour Guard escort Chief Paul Raftis, his senior team and Judge Klein to the podium to begin the 45-minute ceremony.

 

"Canadian citizenship is a privilege to hold," said Chief Raftis. "It is also a privilege for me to serve as the Chief of Toronto Paramedic Services and to lead our outstanding team of paramedics, emergency medical dispatchers and operational support staff, all of whom provide world-class emergency medical care in the community. 

 

“Citizenship ceremonies are a unique part of Canadian civic life," said Judge Klein. "It is one of the few occasions when we formally reflect on the rights, responsibilities and benefits of being a Canadian citizen. I thank Chief Raftis for showing his support to new Canadians each year by hosting this ceremony." 

 

This is the third year Toronto Paramedic Services has hosted a citizenship ceremony as part of its annual Toronto Paramedic Services Week community activities. 

 

Toronto Paramedic Services Week is an opportunity to educate Toronto residents about the services that paramedics and emergency medical dispatchers provide, including responding to residents calling 911 for paramedics in over 150 languages, explaining the role paramedics play in the community, and most importantly, when to call 911 for a paramedic.  

 

Knowing when to call and who to call is important to make sure the patient receives the right service and care. If a person is unconscious and not breathing or if their bleeding won't stop, call 911 for the paramedics. If the patient is suffering cold or flu, calling Telehealth (1-866-797-0000) for advice may be a better medical option.

 

More information about 911 in any language and about "911 Make the right call" is available at http://www.torontoparamedics.ca and http://www.911inanylanguage.ca.

 

This news release is also available on the City's website: http://bit.ly/1FQiM2w

 

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

 

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Media contact: Kim McKinnon, Toronto Paramedic Services, 416-392-2255, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.