Calgary mayor shares his family's touching Canadian story (VIDEO)

As Canadians prepare for the upcoming 43rd federal election, Naheed Nenshi, the mayor of Calgary has shared a touching story of his family’s journey to Canada.

Nenshi, who has been serving as Calgary’s mayor for the past nine years, shared his “Canada Story” with Everyone’s Canada, a  non-profit organization that ensures the country is a place for everyone.

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In a two-minute video, Nenshi reflects on how his parents first moved to Canada.

Before relocating, they were working at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro in the 1960s and they had the opportunity to meet Canadian aid workers, who used to have the Toronto Star delivered to them.

When the workers were finished with the newspaper, Nenshi’s father would read the paper and he learned about this city across the ocean that he had never heard of before.

At one point, he saw a picture of a brand new city hall at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto and he vowed that he would see it in person one day.

And that’s what brought Nenshi’s parents to Canada.

Nenshi said 38-years later, just a few years before he died, his father visited a different city hall and saw his son be sworn in as mayor.

The 47-year-old mayor said that while his parent’s story is extraordinary, it’s an ordinary story for others in Canada.

“Every immigrant family has this story and it doesn’t happen everywhere and we take it for granted,” said Nenshi.

“We need to ensure that we’re fighting every single day for people to have dignity in this place and to have opportunities in place for themselves and for their children. And that’s why this stuff matters.”

“My aspiration for this place is that we don’t lose this remarkable thing that we have built here and that we continue to move forward on that simple promise that it doesn’t matter what you look like, or where you came from or how you worship, or whom you love: you belong here. And you belong to be here and to have a great Canadian life,” said Nenshi.

You can watch the full video below.