He hadn't been a Canadian for more than 20 minutes, and he was already saving his new country's honour.
At the main stage of the 2014 Steveston Salmon Festival, standing before local dignitaries who had just officially welcomed him and 39 others to Canada as new citizens, Isaac Chavez was quick to spot a Canadian flag falling to the ground.
A gust of wind, combined with an unsteady poll, partially felled the large flag in front of the stage, but Chavez grabbed it before it hit the ground.
"I was in the right place at the right time. I guess I saved the day on Canada Day!" chuckled Chavez, a 32 year-old information technology employee of the BC Government and Service Employees' Union.
Chavez was born in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and came to Canada in 1999 following high school graduation. He took part in Steveston's citizenship ceremony, which introduced 40 new citizens from 26 different countries.
Chavez had lived in Richmond for most of his time spent in Canada, but recently moved to New Westminster. His wife, Sarah, as well as his parents, accompanied Chavez on his special day.
"My father had already emigrated here and he gave me the opportunity after high school to give me a better life," said Chavez.
"It wasn't difficult but it was a long process. I was lucky my parents were able to make the process a bit more streamlined. After three years, I got my permanent residency and after, I guess, there was a bit of procrastination," chuckled Chavez.
The Honourable Trang Angie Nguyen, who is an immigrant herself, conducted the ceremony.
"I think that's one of the beautiful features of Canada that we all see - its diversity," said Nguyen, who fled Vietnam via a paddleboat as a child after being interned three times in a communist re-education camp.
The ceremony kicked off a hot, sunny Canada Day celebration at the festival, one of the best attended in its 69-year history. The Ships to Shore event was once again an added bonus to the day's events, as thousands lined up to catch a glimpse of three tall ships, as well as vessels from the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy, among others.
The two-hour parade down Moncton Street featured a number of politicians driving by in cars (save for the Green Party, which walked), marching bands walking in sync, community groups handing out candy and flags, and commercial sponsors getting their name out.
Meanwhile, festival goers enjoyed fair-style
food on the festival grounds and food trucks at the waterfront boardwalk. The wait for barbecue salmon was a full hour at points in the day.
"The salmon is a given every year. We have 1,200 pounds and serve about 2,300 plates," said Janice Froese, executive director of the festival.
Kids enjoyed various activities, but for the first time in many years, there were no carnival rides.
Froese said the company that usually provides such entertainment shut down over the winter. She hopes the car show (which replaced the carnival) will continue to provide an event next year.
"We have tough decisions to make next year," she said.
Froese said organizers believe this year's festival was one of the best attended, with possibly up to 100,000 people visiting the village.
