| Bill C-37 that passed on 17 April 2008 and finally came | | | | outside the country received citizenship and Canada |
| into effect on 17 April 2009 is a very interesting | | | | also fully accepted multiple citizenship. However the |
| amendment to the Canadian Citizenship Act. This | | | | people who lost their citizenship before that date did |
| document gives Canadian citizenship to those who lost | | | | not automatically have it restored until 17 April 2009 |
| or never had it, due to outdated provisions in existing | | | | when Bill C-37 became law. The group of activists that |
| and former legislation. The government believes that | | | | played an important role in the passing of this bill |
| this could restore citizenship of hundreds of thousands | | | | consisted mostly of people born in the thirty year long |
| unsuspecting foreigners. The biggest part (over | | | | span from 1947 to 1977. |
| 240.000) is believed to be in America, and these are | | | | The fight for this amendment and the restoration was |
| just people born from 1947 to 1977. This amendment | | | | started by a group of people who lost their citizenship |
| not only automatically restores Canadian nationality to | | | | rights due to various mostly unfair reasons. The |
| many people that were forced to renounce it when | | | | biggest part are Canadians who were born in U.S. |
| they became citizens of another country, but also | | | | hospitals from 1947 to 1977. During this time if a family |
| grants citizenship to their children. After 1947 there | | | | crossed the border and the child was born in the U.S. |
| were actually numerous problems with the Citizenship | | | | and not registered with the government, the child was |
| Act that led to mistakes and loss of citizenship. The | | | | not recognized as Canadian. Also members of the |
| new amendment doesn’t make the people | | | | families of Canadian servicemen lost their citizenship if |
| Canadian citizens instantly, they still have to apply for | | | | they stayed out of the country for a decade or more. |
| citizenship. It means that people who don’t want to | | | | There were also the grandchildren of the Canadian |
| change nationality don’t need to solve problems | | | | Mennonites who moved to Mexico in the 1920s to the |
| with being recognized as Canadian citizen. People who | | | | 1960s. When these grandchildren tried to return to |
| want to keep their other nationality can always | | | | Canada their nationality was classified as unclear. |
| renounce their new citizenship. | | | | Despite the fact that some of these cases were |
| If we look into history the Canadian Citizenship Act | | | | reviewed for years, this group of people with unclear |
| took effect on 1 January 1947 and stated that anyone | | | | nationality became more active in the last few years. |
| (with the exception of diplomat children) born in | | | | One of the reasons was that new U.S. rules requiring |
| Canada from 1947 onwards acquired Canadian | | | | passports for travel between Canada and the U.S. |
| citizenship at birth. In 1977 the Canadian nationality law | | | | uncovered very large numbers of people who |
| was revisited, when the new Citizenship Act came into | | | | reported that they have Canadian citizenship, but were |
| force. From this date the Canadians who were born | | | | not officially confirmed citizens of Canada. |