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Archiver > WARBRIDES > 2005-04 > 1114125692


From: "Melynda Jarratt" <>
Subject: Re: [WarBrides] Appearance before Citizenship Hearings in Canada
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:21:32 -0300
In-Reply-To: <002201c546bb$c76179d0$075d5718@GWEN>


Hi Gwen, that's truly unbelievable, but not surprising given the fact that
upon your arrival in Canada you were a "Landed Immigrant", not a Citizen.
There is a lot of confusion about the status of War Brides upon their
arrival in Canada. Did they, in fact, inherit their husband's citizenship
by virtue of their marriage overseas? Certainly, most War Brides thought
they did. Or did the War Brides and their children come as Landed Immigrants
with the expectation that later, they would apply for citizenship? It's the
64,000 dollar question. Eswyn Lyster, a war bride and writer, has written
to the authorities and has asked the question "What is the status of
Canadian War Brides? Citizens, or Landed Immigrants?". The answer? "We
cannot provide you with that information because of the Privacy Act!!!" Have
you ever heard of anything so ridiculous? That's the bureaucracy for you!

What is most worrisome, however, is the status of the children of War Brides
who came to Canada with their mothers on the War Bride ships. What is the
childrens' status? The anecdotal evidence I have come across over the years
is that they too were Landed Immigrants, not citizens. While most of these
children and their mothers have lived here in Canada for the past 60 years
and sailed through life here uninterrupted, it's only when they start asking
for passports or some other documents that require proof of citizenship that
trouble surfaces, as we have seen in so many cases of children who are
trying to get their passports and are told they have to prove they are
citizens. And it seems to be getting worse since 9/11 with heightened fears
of security threats.

I am only making an educated guess here, but it seems that most many war
brides, when faced with the issue of citizenship over the years, dealt with
it, like yourself. If they wanted to go visit their family overseas in the
1940's, 50's, 60s or 70s. They dealt with the bureaucracy, filled out the
papers and acquired their citizenship, quietly all across the country. In
1977, there were changes to the Act and many War Brides were made aware that
they could apply for their citizenship and many did. But I would be
interested to know how many War Brides have never heard about the 1977
changes to the Immigration Act, and who ever applied for a passport or
required any documentation related to their citizenship and what would
happen if they tried to get a passport today? I guess the proof of the
pudding will be in the eating, as they say. My educated guess is that they
would be told to prove their citizenship.

I'm interested to know if there are any other war brides out there - or
their children - who can share their experiences on this issue.


Melynda Jarratt, BA, MA (History)
Diploma in Digital Media and Design
Webmaster: http://www.canadianwarbrides.com and http://www.project-roots.com
Voices of the Left Behind: Project Roots and the Canadian War Children of
World War Two is available in English at
http://www.project-roots.com/books.html and in Dutch at
http://www.uitgeverijpica.nl/index.html?page=achterbleven


----Original Message Follows----
From: Gwen Zradicka <>
Reply-To:
To:
Subject: Re: [WarBrides] Appearance before Citizenship Hearings in Canada
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 14:47:56 -0700

When I applied for a passport in 1969, I was informed that I was NOT a
Canadian citizen!! My husband and I had divorced in 1965 and I had
remarried. My 2nd husband was Canadian born, so you can imagine my horror to
discover that I was indeed not a Canadian!!

I had to go through the steps to become a citizen before they would issue a
passport to me!! We were citizens as long as we remained married to our
original spouses, but should one have been widowed or divorced, apparently
you immediately became stateless!! A BIG surprise as we were never told!!

Gwen


----- Original Message ----- From: "Olive" <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2005 1:42 PM
Subject: Re: [WarBrides] Appearance before Citizenship Hearings in Canada


>I have never had any problems with passports.
>I sent away for Citizenship proof in the 1950's.
>They sent me a certificate to frame and a paper to use for passport
>services.
>It's my understanding we were all made Citizens on 1 January,1947.
>Olive King
>
>-------Original Message-------
>
>From:
>Date: April 21, 2005 12:45:44 PM
>To:
>Subject: [WarBrides] Appearance before Citizenship Hearings in Canada
>
>This just hot off the presses....
>Melynda
>_______________
>
>
>April 21, 2005 - 13:07
>
>War brides spokeswoman complains to committee about citizenship status
>
>FREDERICTON (CP) - Thousands of war brides and their children are
>discovering they are not Canadian citizens even though some had assumed
>otherwise while living in Canada for 60 years, a Commons committee was told
>Thursday.
>
>Melynda Jarratt, an author and researcher, told the committee that the
>federal government created a bureaucratic nightmare in 1944 by declaring
>them landed immigrants instead of citizens. She said many of these women
>and
>
>their children were unaware of their status until now.
>
>
>Some made the discovery when they applied for passports.
>
>"You've paid your taxes, you have a social insurance number, you've worked
>here and lived here all your life, but you're not a citizen," she told the
>committee.
>
>"Who made the decision that they were no longer citizens and suddenly
>became
>
>landed immigrants, and how come they've never been told about what their
>rights are?"
>
>Liberal MP Andrew Telegdi, chairman the Standing Committee on Citizenship
>and Immigration, said he understood the frustration of people who suddenly
>find themselves without the rights and privileges of full citizenship
>through no fault of their own.
>
>"It's a real horror story," said Telegdi. "It's a horrific feeling because
>all of a sudden you become stateless."
>
>Telegdi said the committee will recommend the government should declare the
>war brides and their children citizens, and he's hoping the issue can be
>resolved by this fall.
>
>
>
>Melynda Jarratt, BA, MA (History)
>Diploma in Digital Media and Design
>Webmaster: http://www.canadianwarbrides.com and
>http://www.project-roots.com
>Voices of the Left Behind: Project Roots and the Canadian War Children of
>World War Two is available in English at
>http://www.project-roots.com/books.html and in Dutch at
>http://www.uitgeverijpica.nl/index.html?page=achterbleven
>
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