Calgary Finlandia Cultural Association

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

By: Sanna Kinrade, CFCA Vice President

On January 16, Pauliina Pennanen (Consul, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Finland) came to Calgary to offer Finns the opportunity to renew or apply for a Finnish passport. Passport appointments were made in advance and the cost was approximately $340 CAD with payment by check (certified) or money order. This service was very well-received: The day was fully booked with 22 passport renewals/applications! We hope to partner with the Embassy of Finland in the near future to offer this service, again. Thank you, Pauliina, for coming here to provide this terrific service, and the Scandinavian Centre for allowing us to utilize the Heritage Room for the whole day.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

By: Sanna Kinrade (CFCA Vice President) & Tuija Roman (CFCA Secretary)

On January 17 & 18, advance polls were available in Calgary for the Finnish Presidential Elections. All Finnish citizens over 18 were eligible to vote in the parliamentary elections regardless of domicile. To vote, people were asked to bring a Finnish passport or ID card (or a Canadian passport or another official ID) and the “ilmoitus äänioikeudesta” letter from Finland. Voting took place from 0900-1500 hr at the Consulate – Suite 3415, TD Canada Trust Tower 421 – 7th Avenue SW. 

If no one candidate receives over 50% of the votes on the first round, a runoff election will be held. Our in-person dates for voting in Calgary if a second round is required will be January 31 & February 1 at the same location and times as the first round information above. Voters will not receive a separate letter from Finland for the second round of voting – please keep the one you received – it contains two forms, one to be used for each round. Those that didn’t receive the letter can still vote as long as they are Finnish citizens over the age of 18 and bring proof of identity.

Thank you Pauliina Pennanen (Consul, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Finland) and Judith Romanchuk (Honorary Consul of Finland, Calgary) for making this possible. And thank you to the 29 people who came out to vote! 

More information can be found here: https://vaalit.fi/en/presidential-election

Join us February 10, 2024 for the second Finnish Culinary Workshop of 2024! Laskiaispulla & Runebergin Torttu will take place 2:30-7pm, YW Inglewood Kitchen, 1715 17 Ave SE.

Join us January 28 for our first Finnish Culinary Workshop of 2024! Hernekeitto & Pannukakku will take place 2:30-7pm, YW Inglewood Kitchen, 1715 17 Ave SE.