Egyptian-Canadians were separated from events in their birthplace by thousands of kilometres, but they celebrated the ousting of president Hosni Mubarak along with the protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square.
In their Halifax area mosque, Essam Ibrahim and Omar el Kallini said they were overjoyed to learn of Mubarak's ousting.
"I think this is the best day of my life!" Essam Ibrahim told CTV Atlantic.
El Kallini said Halifax's large Egyptian community had been following events in their homeland breathlessly and were ecstatic and relieved when the Egyptian strongman finally stepped down.
"It's as if a huge mountain of burden just moved off of the chest," he said. "The people did it and the people will keep doing it."
Montreal's Egyptian community gathered outside their country's consulate in Montreal to celebrate.
"I'm feeling free,'' said Tarek Abouzeid, 28. "The sun has finally risen on a great revolution and a great industry that will start in Egypt, and we will become a great people again like we used to be.''
Abouzeid's sister Ingi said she got the news just as she emerged from prayers asking for peace. "I feel relaxed, happy and proud to be Egyptian,'' she said.
Large rallies are planned for Montreal and Toronto Saturday to celebrate events in Egypt.
Salma Aljannati, of Mississauga, Ont., plans to bring her giant Egyptian flag to be part of the moment.
"I'm extremely happy," said Aljannati, 24, whose family still lives in Egypt.
Aljannati was heartened during the turmoil by the support of her fellow Canadians. "From Canada, people have been very supportive -- I couldn't be more grateful to be in this country," Aljannati said. "It was absolutely amazing how many people were there for the demonstrations that have taken place."
Faras Marish, an Egyptian-Canadian in Toronto, said that the use of information technology in the protest movement shouldn't be understated.
"People can talk to each other, people can express themselves, people can say ‘no' to injustice, people can connect and stand together and people can make a difference," he told CTV Toronto's Sneha Kulkarni on Friday afternoon.
Sherif Saba, a 40-year-old Montreal man who has a real estate business in Cairo, was among the group of Egyptian-Canadians in front of the consulate on Friday afternoon.
But two days ago, Saba was in Tahrir Square in Cairo with the protesters and was beaten up during earlier clashes with pro-Mubarak supporters. He said the feeling in the square was "unbelievable."
"When you see it, you feel a lot of energy," Saba said. "All the country went out for the revolution, seeking the change of the government and the president and to have their civil rights (and) to be able to say what they want, to have their right to vote and to change the reality of Egypt to a better life."
At an Egyptian restaurant in Halifax, Roqaya Abdel-Hameid said it was difficult to watch events in Cairo from so far away.
"I wish I were there with them right now," she said. "Jumping in the Mediterranean! Many of them did. They just stripped themselves and jumped in, not knowing what else to do!"
Hesham Kamal-Eldin agreed: "Can't even begin to describe it. I'm kind of bummed that I'm here. But everything happens for a reason, and so I'm celebrating here."
Toronto resident Sarah Hashem, 28, who was born in Egypt and moved to Canada when she was 10, said the 18-day protest was an emotional roller coaster for her. When Mubarak finally resigned, she found the news hard to believe at first.
"I needed someone to pinch me," she said. "I was in disbelief."
When the truth sank in, she jumped up from her desk at work and shouted in celebration.
