Hi All,
I know that this forum doesn't deal with history but as a "Canadian" website I don't think many of us here are aware of this bit of Canadian history.
I guess I can say that I am one of the first true Canadian citizens being born here in Toronto in 1947. Prior to that year, there was no such thing as a "Canadian" citizen as anyone who came to this country, resided here for part or all of their life or who were born and lived in Canada before January 1st 1947 was legally deemed to be a "British Subject". It was only after WW II that Parliament here created a distinct Canadian citizenship so my mother, who came to Canada in 1909 when she was only two from the North of England by my maternal grandfather, who lived all of her life here, who voted in every Canadian election and who held only a valid Canadian passport found out sometimes in her late eighty's that she was not deemed to be a Canadian citizen for in order to become one, ONE HAD TO APPLY FOR IT!!!.
I think she only found this out, like millions of other Canadians at the time once, when there was a discussion on the CBC. She was so ticked off, she hit the roof but she still had to apply. A few months later and with no questions asked citizenship to her was granted. Myself, being born here after January 1st 1947, that was just fine and gave me Canadian citizenship automatically.
I know that this forum doesn't deal with history but as a "Canadian" website I don't think many of us here are aware of this bit of Canadian history.
I guess I can say that I am one of the first true Canadian citizens being born here in Toronto in 1947. Prior to that year, there was no such thing as a "Canadian" citizen as anyone who came to this country, resided here for part or all of their life or who were born and lived in Canada before January 1st 1947 was legally deemed to be a "British Subject". It was only after WW II that Parliament here created a distinct Canadian citizenship so my mother, who came to Canada in 1909 when she was only two from the North of England by my maternal grandfather, who lived all of her life here, who voted in every Canadian election and who held only a valid Canadian passport found out sometimes in her late eighty's that she was not deemed to be a Canadian citizen for in order to become one, ONE HAD TO APPLY FOR IT!!!.
I think she only found this out, like millions of other Canadians at the time once, when there was a discussion on the CBC. She was so ticked off, she hit the roof but she still had to apply. A few months later and with no questions asked citizenship to her was granted. Myself, being born here after January 1st 1947, that was just fine and gave me Canadian citizenship automatically.
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Either way , Canada is one beautiful country . I'm seeing more and more of it every year now . Off to Waterton today to get another glimpse of the country and it's beauty .