The announcement is expected in a speech later in the day outlining the Canadian government's upcoming legislative agenda, according to the senior official.
Malala will become just the sixth person to be granted honorary Canadian citizenship, following in the footsteps of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi and the Aga Khan.
Malala was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban on October 9, 2012, for speaking out against them, demanding that girls be given the right to go to school.
She was subsequently flown to Britain for specialist care and made a remarkable recovery, going on to become a global ambassador for children's rights.
Malala has also written an autobiography, addressed the United Nations and set up a fund.
Last week, she won the European Union's prestigious Sakharov human rights prize and was welcomed to the White House by US President Barack Obama.
Canadian Governor General David Johnston, in his Throne Speech, is also expected to list the economy and trade, crime fighting and consumer rights as the government's main focus in the months ahead.
COMMENTS (49)
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While giving an award is fine, Canadian politicians should take a moment to ponder over citizenship granted to many from Islamic countries who are against the very foundations of the country and openly call for its and the west's destruction. In a few years from now, I won't be surprised if this girl will be at the forefront of demonstrations for implementation of shariah in Canada!
@takoo: How can you act taking a bullet to the head ? Are you demented or something ?
@Omar Cheema: You sound like a sore applicant who has been rejected by Canadian immigration.
Dear Ms. Malala, you are kindly requested to take Drone issue at UN and discuss the same with Canadian Govt. and with everyone who you know now. Ask them to refrain from creating more Malalas and Bilalas. If you may kind enough, please. Take extra help from your dad too as he is expert in dealing with NGOs and foreigners. Kindly note you are a brave girl and I am sure you would like to return to Pakistan as this country will now provide you full protection as it did to Bilawal.
@Chiniot Se: There is no reward for stupidity, I am afraid. Also, did you apply and got rejected by Canadian immigration ?
I hope she refuses, it will do wonders for her credibility.
@Ch. Allah Daad: No i would disagree with you here. We are just taking her life's precious years away from her. Its not the age of this all. and believe me even though she sounds intelligent and all, she is still not aware of what this cunning world is all about. Her innocence is prevalent in her speeches every where. If she really wants to do something, this is not the right time. Travelling around the world makes you aware of situations but it is school and social life around same age people that tells you what you really want to become. We all know when we were at this age, every one wanted to become a doctor but its not the reality.. its just childish innocence. What she is doing or saying is just mere words because she doesn't have the experience to tackle the main motto of her speech and that is Education for girls. Receiving awards and clapping for her is just pressurizing her more and more for what she has pledged to do. Its like IK, he promised alot of crap and now as he is not delivering, people are cursing him. Same is to follow for Malala. Mind my words.
Now this is taking it too far...honourary Canadian Citizenship? for what? will all the families who have lost their loved ones in drone attacks and bomb blasts be given 'compassionate' Canadian Citizenship? No wonder many suspect her of being an agent. The west's response in Malala case is certainly disproportionate.
They started giving citizenship to actors???
@Fact is Fact: In schools kids are taught how to read and write and we know she had this ability when she was eleven. What she is doing now, no school can offer. Which one is better..Reading a book about United Nations and other countries or speaking at the General Assembly in front of world leaders and visiting all those countries. She has been travelling around the world, learning about other cultures, gaining knowledge, experience and wisdom which she would not have learnt even if she had spent hundred years in school.
@Mohammed Abbasi: And why is that you have a problem with people not supporting Malala. Who is to decide if she is fighting for something or not. You support her because you think she survived the shock and moved on and Western world cashing in to her name.. You don't see the fact that the awards she is receiving are actually ruining her life. She is going to Europe, US, Canada and missing those precious school days and then she says western girls should make use of the opportunity. I hope people are not that dumb to miss the fact that Malala is just a way for foreign politicians to get sympathy votes from their public. Because their people do not know the real hard facts that there are thousands of Malala's living in Pakistan everyday. If you have done your homework before supporting this little girl, then you must know that there are hundreds of girls being targeted by Taliban and drones everyday. I, personally, support more to a woman who fought to her own family just to make herself a police officer (which sadly not many pakistanis know about). The toughest fight in the world is the one which is fought against its own family. Now saying that you are right and others are not is just too close-minded. Respect people's comments and people will respect you.
@Sher: Fantastic Point
@nadeem: there is a difference between citizenship and honorary citizenship.. honorary is a big honor and to be honest malala is not that worth getting in the leagues of Mandela or the Aga Khan
What ????? She is in the leagues of Raoul Wallenberg, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi and the Aga Khan... no ways she is that worth giving. I would not say its a drama staged to get her citizenship.. But it just shows how different countries are cashing in to the opportunity of using malala to get their fool people behind them and vote them in next elections.. Come on.. Malala and Mandela or Malala or Aga Khan.. this is preposterous
I think for a 15 year old child, she is going too many places for her own good .She should back out a bit . She is getting too much world attention . Its not good for her . She might not be any stooge on her own but US will surely use her if she continues this way.
atleast she should reject it. it was agreed that she will not take any other citizenship and then allowed to go abroad and that why her dad was given job initially in Pak embassy UK. Had she been a canadian citizen few days ago she'd have won the Nobel prize......why does not she speaks for those kids who died with US bombings and donate 50% of book income for that in GoP fund........ btw I donot mind if I am offered western citizenship - kaun ke apna dil hay Pakistani
Please Canadian Government, have some pity on Pakistan's "stakeholders" recently given recognition by its national assembly, i.e.the Taliban and their parent organization the TTP. These "worthies" due to the many honors rightfully bestowed on Malala by other countries and international organizations, are already gnashing their teeth in anger and frustration for being exposed world wide by shooting an innocent school girl in cold blood as the vicious and heartless murderers they happen to be. Now that this great privilege of honorary citizenship is to be bestowed on Pakistan's Daughter Malala (of whom the majority of Pakistan's citizens are very proud) by the Canadian Government, the Taliban and their abettors and sympathizers are likely to get permanent heartburn and indigestion for the rest of their sorry despicable lives.
All I want to say to all Malala haters - Carry on! You are on the wrong side of history and will be ridiculed by the historians and future generations.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy, an Indian reformer of 19th century, was ridiculed by his own co-religionists and caste members for attempting to reform the Hindu religion through his efforts. He wanted to abolish the Hindu practices like Sati, Child Marriages, women's right to property & education and abolition of superstitions.
He was considered to be a conspirator with British, but today is hailed as a pioneer. No one remembers the obscurantist idiots who opposed him.
Even Mahatma Gandhi was considered a 'gaddar' and was shot for compelling Indian govt. to do the right thing - Pay the money it owed to Pakistan. The guys who were part of that conspiracy are reviled and Gandhi is still considered 'Mahatma'.
Insane forces try their best to suppress sane voices. But, over a period of time they loose.
Change comes in powerful waves. Some people use the wave to get to the shore, some try to swim against it - and get swallowed by the sea.
That blows her chance to be the prime minister of Pakistan!
@ashar: do you know the meaning of honorary citizenship? One that is honoured upon but not applied for. Get it?
Now after malala gets mugged in Toronto she will go on TV and say "in Canada we are so unsafe because of muggers, in Canada we can't even go to the convenience store without getting mugged" This way the world will know Canada is a nation of muggers and the rights of convince store goers all over Canada need protection
Go on the honorary canadian citizenship page.it says it doesnt confer any rights, duties as a citizen on the holder and is merely symbolic.
Every one please Honorary Citizenships is title (award) nothing to do with actual citizenships.
To show the US own disagreement with Canadian decision, The State of California has decided to erect a statue of Imran holding the hand of his sweet little daughter, in front of the court house building. . There is only one catch though, he will have to be present there to unveil the statue!
She is welcome! I hope for my daughters and I to one day meet her here in Canada.
Yeyyy!!! Success,it's a great success.Congratulations!
This appears to be a conspiracy between Modi, CIA, RAW, Mossad, Assad, Bassad, Shiv Sena, and Veena Malik.
@Mohammed Abbasi:
the all Muslims will be sent off.
So called kafirs are protecting our children and our " own people " want to kill them. What will it take for this nation to realise its folly , make ammends.
Mr M Abbassi, absolutely agreed, its very simple, anti malala clearly means Taliban sympethisers and apologists......
@Mohammed Abbasi .... that's why you are not the canadian govt...
@ Mohammed Abbasi I feel very sad as well when I see so called educated Pakistanis saying negative things about Malala. . But on the other hand, why should we force them? If we cannot convince them, there is something wrong with our system and values. Focus should be on real issues.
Malala Yusofzai is a very rich girl now, who, curiously does NOT have to go to school anymore.
Good to know that Malala is getting citizenship of Canada. But there is a problem how can she be a politician in Pakistan as she (together with her father) wants to be. Probably west would definitely intervene and mend the constitution of Pakistan!!
My advice to Malala is not to engage in politics of Pakistan. She is a great symbol/celebrity of education in tribal areas of Pakistan. She should work in that direction and create more Malala's in tribal areas. I am very confident that she can do it and I hope west would also promote those wanna be Malala's in Tribal areas of Pakistan. That will be a great contribution to Pakistan from this daughter of Pakistan. Pakistani politics is very dirty and that will only bring bad name to this little innocent girl. I hope his father would understand it too!
Wish India too takes notice and grant her Honorary Indian citizenship.
what if she demands sharia tommorow.........canada....
QED, CIA asset
@Mohammed Abbasi: That's exactly the opposite of what Canada stands for. Over here Freedom of speech is everyone's right.
@Mohammed Abbasi: you can't even imagine how many of those are here
Now the likes of Musharraf will say that she arranged for the bullet to land in her skull so that she could get Canadian citizenship, and that this is a commonplace racket practiced by the women in Pakistan. (just like Musharraf said about Dr Shazia when she sought Canadian citizenship)
Another reason for haters to hate.
Haters be like "we told ya, all this drama for citizenship"
if I was the Canadian government I would go a step further and REVOKE the citizenship of those Canadian Pakistanis who are against Malala Yousafzai and support the Taliban
finally. now she can relax