The owner of a popular Syrian restaurant in Sault Ste. Marie has become a Canadian citizen.
After more than five years, George Alkhoury is now officially a citizen.
The owner of Georgie’s Shawarma had been waiting on the big day for more than two years.
“I was so happy when I received my certificate,” Alkhoury said.
“I knew that that’s it, this is the start now you know… now I’m Canadian and I have my rights like anybody else.”
It’s not the only big news in his life recently: he has a 19-month-old son.
“I used to be always scared of having a baby because it’s a big responsibility,” he said. “(But now) you want to have a baby where your life is stable.”
Alkhoury arrived in Canada with $500 and an uncertain future. But he said he never questioned that his hard work would bring him to the day when he was a Canadian citizen.
The city’s immigration coordinator called him the ideal success story of a newcomer to the country.
“I believe that over 90 per cent of his staff right now are immigrants,” said Steve Arabas.
“That’s part of the support we need in this community. People who are able to bring in their resilience and courage and bravery to the fold to help the city develop.”
He opened the first Syrian restaurant in the city three years ago, something he said helped people expand their knowledge of his culture.
“Learning to eat other foods is like meeting new people,” Alkhoury said.
“And I see now when I first opened I had some customers who doesn’t know falafel, they’ve never had falafel in their life, and now they are regular customers.”
He said some of his staff ask him about starting restaurants of their own in the future.
Alkhoury said he gives them nothing but support, just as people gave him when he was first looking to start a business.
