WARBRIDES-L Archives

Archiver > WARBRIDES > 2005-05 > 1115561799


From: mary gair <>
Subject: Re: [WarBrides] Citizenship of War Brides and Children Confirmed!
Date: Sun, 08 May 2005 08:16:39 -0600
References: <BAY103-F38E04D3F895036D5C5BFBEBA1D0@phx.gbl>


----- Original Message -----
From: "Melynda Jarratt" <>
To: <>
Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2005 7:47 AM
Subject: RE: [WarBrides] Citizenship of War Brides and Children Confirmed!


> Thanks Susan. It's been a crazy week, no doubt about it. I am going to
> Ottawa again on Monday (tomorrow) this time paid for by the
Parliamentary
> Committee, to appear before the Committee again on Tuesday. I suppose
they
> want me to say that I'm satisfied now that the issue has been supposedly
> resolved, but it really has only just begun because now the Department
of
> Citizenship and Immigration has to deliver on its promise that the
process
> will be made simpler for war brides and the children of war brides who
came
> over on the ships. I just received another inquiry this morning, so you
see,
> the hard work has just begun!
>
> Melynda
>
>
>
> 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: "Susan Willis" <>
> Reply-To:
> To:
> Subject: RE: [WarBrides] Citizenship of War Brides and Children
Confirmed!
> Date: Sat, 07 May 2005 10:40:37 +0000
>
> Melynda,
>
> Congratulations on your victory on behalf of war brides and their
children!
> Your never ending dedication and hard work is once again all worth it
for so
> many.
>
> Your friend,
> Susan Willis
>
>>From: "Melynda Jarratt" <>
>>Reply-To:
>>To:
>>Subject: [WarBrides] Citizenship of War Brides and Children Confirmed!
>>Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 13:28:32 -0300
>>
>>
>>For Immediate Release May 5, 2005
>>
>>Citizenship of War Brides and Children Confirmed!
>>_________________________________________
>>
>>The Registrar of Citizenship for the Government of Canada confirmed in
>>Ottawa yesterday that there is no question: War Brides and their
children
>>are Canadian citizens.
>>
>>Ms. Patricia Birkett met with Melynda Jarratt, a Fredericton, New
Brunswick
>>based historian who raised the issue of War Bride's citizenship status
two
>>weeks ago when she appeared before the House of Commons Citizenship and
>>Immigration Committee. Ms. Jarratt told the Committee that the children
of
>>War Brides who had been brought to this country at the end of World War
Two
>>were being confronted with a bureaucratic nightmare when they applied
for
>>passports and that many had even been told they were not citizens. War
>>Brides were also expressing anger that they too, had been forced to
apply
>>for citizenship in the past when they applied for passports to travel
>>overseas. In her testimony, Ms. Jarratt explained that the issue was
>>especially problematic for the children of War Brides who were born in
the
>>UK and Europe as they are now fast approaching retirement age and are
>>making plans for their old Old Age Pension. Others may be applying for a
>>passport for the first time in their lives.
>>
>>Ms. Jarratt flew to Ottawa Wednesday where she met with Ms. Birkett,
>>Stephen Heckbert, Communications Director for Citizenship and
Immigration
>>Minister Joe Volpe, and John Delacourt, Legislative Assistant to the
>>Minister. The issue has received considerable media attention because
of
>>the 60th anniversary celebrations of VE-Day and the impending release of
a
>>War Bride Commemorative envelope by Canada Post.
>>
>>Jarratt said she's never received so much correspondence on her website
>>www.CanadianWarBrides.com since it was launched five years ago. "It's
been
>>somewhat overwhelming," she said, "but I am glad that we were able to
make
>>such headway on this issue. It shows that things can move quickly on
>>Parliament Hill and in Citizenship and Immigration if it's important
enough
>>to Canadians, and this issue certainly was."
>>
>>The War Brides citizenship issue has received all-party support from the
>>House of Commons Citizenship and Immigration Committee, chaired by
>>Kitchener-Waterloo Member of Parliament Andrew Telegdi. "There was never
>>any question in the Committee's mind that War Brides and the children
they
>>brought with them to Canada at the end of WWII were citizens," said
>>Telegdi. "That commitment was made in WWII and it will be honoured."
>>
>>News of the development was greeted with optimism by Mrs. Doris Lloyd, a
>>British War Bride from Plaster Rock, New Brunswick. Doris and her
daughter,
>>Ann, came to Canada on the Ile de France on November 28, 1944. After
living
>>in Canada for twenty years - and voting in elections - Mrs. Lloyd made
an
>>application for a passport in 1964 and was shocked to find out that she
was
>>not a Canadian citizen. Her daughter Ann, as well, always assumed she
was a
>>citizen: she was educated in Canada, worked, paid taxes, voted and even
>>held a Canadian passport in 1967. But recent attempts to obtain a
passport
>>ended in frustration.
>>
>>Mrs. Lloyd said she's extremely happy to hear that this issue has
finally
>>been settled once and for all. "I'm over the moon" she said from her
home
>>in Plaster Rock where she has lived for 61 years. "It's great news for
war
>>brides all across Canada, really and truly. I called my daughter and she
is
>>just delighted to have it confirmed at the highest levels that War
Brides
>>and their Children are Canadian citizens."
>>
>>Ms. Jarratt cautioned that this development does not remove the
requirement
>>for paperwork, however: to prevent identity theft and to ensure that
only
>>those entitled receive a certificate of citizenship, applicants for a
>>citizenship card will still have to provide supporting documents.
Jarratt
>>said Ms. Birkett promised that applications annotated "War Bride" on the
>>envelope or on the application itself will receive special
consideration.
>>She also advised that her department will put a War Bride link on its
>>website and that its call centre staff will be briefed.
>>
>>Ms. Birkett told Jarratt that a major factor in the delay in issuing
>>certificates has been the ballooning demand for citizenship
certificates,
>>which rose markedly after 911. In the last year, demand has shot up 60%
and
>>while new staff has been hired and trained at the Sydney, Nova Scotia
>>processing centre, they are still experiencing delays.
>>
>>- 30 -
>>
>>For further information, contact:
>>
>>Melynda Jarratt
>>
>>In Fredericton: 506-455-3568
>>In Ottawa (to May 7) 613-749-5569
>>
>>
>>
>>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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>Dear Melynda,
Thank you for all the work you have done to
help not only the war-brides but also their offsprings. I know I had to
fill out a lot of forms before I could receive a passport in 1968.
Best Wishes to You.
Mary Gair


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