New to Lost Canadians….
November 9, 2012 in Uncategorized
I am exploring where I might fit into Bill C-37 and came upon this site. My details are:
Mother born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1915
Came with her family to Southern California in 1923
Met and married my father (who was born 1905 in Blackpool, England) in California in 1937
I was born in Hollywood, California in Feb 1948 and hold only a US Passport and have never applied elsewhere
Both parents died May 1990 — my mother remained a citizen of Canada and my father remained a British citizen
Is my reading of C-37 correct that I may apply for Canadian Citizenship, as I am a first generation born abroad (USA) to a Canadian citizen — being born after Jan 1947? Am I entitled to dual citizenship or just Canadian? What would be my advantages? I currently live in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, about 100 miles south of the Canadian border.
Thanks anyone/everyone — it’s very nice to be here.
Nancy Wrigley James
Robert ADDINGTON said on July 19, 2012
No. Only people who were British subjects on Dec. 31, 1946 became citizens under the Canadian Citizenship Act 1946 (sections 4 and 9). Anyone who had lost British nationality by taking another citizenship before 1947 was excluded.
Nancy Wrigley James said on December 20, 2012
Robert: Is your reply, perhaps, mis-posted here? I see it is dated prior to my original posting and doesn’t seem to apply to me? Both of my parents were British subject at the end of 1946 and then my Mother went on to become a Canadian citizen — which she retained till she passed on.
Nancy Wrigley James said on November 18, 2012
Opps, I see you sign ‘Gerry’ and I’ve been calling you Antoine! Thanks, GERRY!
Regards,
Nancy
Laurie Padgett said on December 19, 2012
Your heritage & date of birth as well as your mother’s dob is very close to mine except my father was a U.S. citizen. Your Mother’s status as a Canadian citizen at the time of your birth and in fact her entire life, makes you eligible for dual citizenship. You will need the documents that back up that status as you will see listed on the application. I received my Certificate of Canadian Citizenship in 2010 and proudly carry it in my wallet. After my mother’s death, I found her Canadian birth certificate, U.S. marriage license & U.S. resident alien card, etc in her personal papers which made my application easier to complete. Many people born at home in the Canadian prarie in 1912 had “sketchy” records of thier birth so that birth certificate was key as well as the U.S. resident alien card. She had obtained all those documents in order to collect her social security payments upon retirement. I hope you have access to that info for your Mother and think you should apply as your situation is precisely what this bill was supposed to address. Good Luck :0)
Judith Frank said on December 20, 2012
Hello Laurie,
I’m happy you received your Certificate of Canadian Citizenship. Our heritage is identical: my mother was born in Elie, Manitobe in 1911 and married my father, who was a US citizen, in 1930. I was born in California in 1948. Only after I was born did my mother become a naturalized US Citizen, in 1950. Also, on my mother’s side, my ancestors in Canada go back to 1636, when Antoinette Landry married Antoine Bourg in Port Royale, Nova Scotia. My mother’s father was half First Nations.
When I applied for my Canadian Citizenship Certificate a couple of years ago, I presented my mother’s Canadian birth certificate and baptismal certificate. I was denied. The reason given was that my mother “lost her British Subject status when she married my father, who was a US citizen.” Thus, I was told, she was stateless upon her marriage. (She never knew this before she died in 1982.) Had it been my father who was born in Canada and who had married a US citizen, I would have my Canadian Citizenship Certificate in hand today. Only women lost their British Subject status upon marrying someone with outside citizenship.
Since our cases are identical, I am puzzled as to why I was not successful in obtaining my Certificate of Canadian Citizenship. Perhaps you have some advice for me?
(Good luck to you, Nancy, as you go through this process.) — Judith Frank
Laurie Padgett said on December 21, 2012
Hello Judith,
I am SO puzzled also as to why you were denied. Our details are so similar it makes no sense to me. Your mother did naturalize AFTER your birth and mine did not but otherwise our details seem the same. I do recall reading something on this site about parents choosing to give up thier children’s Canadian citizenship when they naturalized. I also remember something to the effect that the child could fight that now because it was done without them having a say in the matter. I’m going to do some reading and I’m sure you will too. There were some discussions about women losing citizenship upon marrying & men not losing. I thought that also was resolved. This is not right. Isn’t there an appeal process when denied? This saddens me because I know how much that little card in my wallet means to me and you should have one too. Keep trying! I’ll be searching for information for you too. Good Luck!
Nancy Wrigley James said on December 20, 2012
Thank you Laurie. It is interesting that some of our data is similar. My Mother was born at home (in fact I made my brother drive by her home/neighborhood when he was traveling by Winnipeg and take pictures) and I do have her birth certificate, U.S. Marriage license (and newspaper announcement and printed invitation) and her Resident Alien card. It is very rewarding that I am able to take advantage of such a Bill. I’m living in Coeur d’Alene Idaho — which is only about 100 miles south of the Canadian border.
Thanks for your reply.
Judith Frank said on December 20, 2012
Good luck to you, Nancy!
I expect you will be successful since your mother married a British Subject.
Best, Judith
Nancy Wrigley James said on December 20, 2012
Thank you, Judith.
Laurie Padgett said on December 21, 2012
Hi Nancy,
I love that your brother took pictures of your mother’s home/neighborhood. Good Luck,
Laurie