Malala, 19, becomes honorary Canadian

Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai became only the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship Wednesday, as she called on the country to be bold in advocating for girls' education.

Wearing a bright orange hijab, the traditional Muslim veil, and a green dress, the Pakistani activist was welcomed to the seat of Canada's democracy by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

At age 19, Yousafzai is the youngest person to speak to Canadian members of parliament and senators in a joint session.

She is also the youngest to receive honorary Canadian citizenship -- a privilege previously granted to five others including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Dear Canada, I'm asking you to lead once again," she said, to a standing ovation.

She urged Canada to use its turn as president of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations in 2018 to press for the education of girls and refugees.

"We should not ask children who flee their homes to also give up their dreams," she said.

Yousafzai said Trudeau also must ask other world leaders to do more for education.

"If Canada leads, I know the world will follow, she said.

Yousafzai had fought for years for the right of girls to education in her strictly Muslim home region in Pakistan.

She leapt to global fame after a Taliban gunman shot her in the head on a school bus in October 2012 for defending her right to attend school.

Since a successful operation following the attack, she has lived in the British city of Birmingham, where she continues to advocate for women's rights.