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Immigrants must take the oath of citizenship to become Canadians, a federal court has ruled.

Justice Simon Noel’s judgement confirmed that newcomers must take the oath, not simply complete the rest of the citizenship test, to become Canadian citizens, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.

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“Becoming a Canadian citizen is a privilege,” wrote Justice Noel. “It is a privilege that is only conferred when the oath of citizenship is taken, these 43 words signifying adherence to our constitution and our country.”

Noel’s ruling came when businessman Sulaiman Al-Muhaidib of Montreal, who has been a permanent resident for 13 years, sued after his citizenship application was revoked in 2012. He was questioned by Customs officers after returning from a business trip to Saudi Arabia just two days before his swearing-in ceremony and a subsequent investigation found he hadn’t disclosed all his foreign business dealings.