Ernesto, a lawyer, arrived in Canada from Venezuela in 2003 and just over a decade later in the summer of 2016 he became a Canadian citizen. Passionate about people, giving back, and contributing to his community, Ernesto and his family have dedicated themselves to actively volunteering and sharing the importance of helping others. His daughter was recently honoured at her high school graduation with an award from Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, the honorable Elizabeth Dowdeswell for 2,500 hours of volunteering!

As someone with an interest in history and curiosity for people, Ernesto has said the Cultural Access Pass program has been an amazing opportunity to learn more about the history of Canada to feel closer to his new home. The Royal Ontario Museum has been a favourite attraction for this Toronto-based family, particularly the newest exhibit, Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story (on now until September 4th, 2017). Ernesto has valued his experience with CAP, and has said visiting these cultural attractions and allowing people to connect over similar interests in art and culture is the first step to build a more inclusive society.

Ernesto’s plans for the future as a Canadian citizen are to continue lending support to others with his volunteer work, practicing law, and continuing to explore Canada’s many cultural attractions with his family.

View the July CAP Members’ Newsletter, where Ernesto’s profile originally appeared

About CAP: For nearly 10 years, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) has delivered the Cultural Access Pass (CAP), an innovative, best-in-class program that gives new citizens access to Canadian culture. It’s time to shift CAP to the digital age. Support the ICC.