Evidence of meeting #41 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was citizen.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Lost Children of Canada
Previous to getting this. I started this process 35 years ago.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Right. I understand that.
Is this maybe an indication that something got worked out and that something is working positively?
Lost Children of Canada
No, I think this was a mistake. This is an example of one office not knowing what another office is doing.
Lost Canadian Organization
Bill, I might be able to elaborate.
No, she's not a Canadian; under the interpretation of the law, she's not.
But remember, Magali Castro-Gyr, on her third passport, ended up going to court against the Government of Canada, despite having a passport, and then they revoked it. Their answer was that having a passport isn't proof of citizenship.
But Gail did not do anything wrong. Not only was she told she is a Canadian, but the legislative assistant to the MP said.... It's incredible.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
No, I understand that.
Ms. Forrest, have you lived in the States all your life?
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Can you just explain to me your connection to Canada, where that comes from and why this is so important to you?
It's interesting to me because you're somebody who has lived outside of the country all of your life, yet you still feel this strong connection to Canada. Can you maybe just talk a bit more about where that comes from and why you feel it so intensely?
Lost Children of Canada
Yes.
My parents brought me back to Canada many times. I have a large family in Canada to whom I feel a very strong connection.
I didn't finish everything I was going to say, but my father graduated from UBC, and I too wanted to attend UBC. I had a strong desire to do that in my late teens and early twenties. Then when I had two daughters and I became divorced, I thought I would like to come to Canada and attend UBC part-time, get a job full-time, and raise my children in Canada.
I was born in this country. I have many relatives here. I feel a very strong connection to this country, much more than I do to the United States. I did not want to take out U.S. citizenship, which I actually formally did not do.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Mr. Komarnicki.
As you know, we have to watch the clock a little bit here. I'm trying to get one more person in here.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Certainly I appreciate you taking the time and letting us know your concerns and your specific issues. I know Ms. Jennings indicated she had some difficulty with the complexities of the law and that it needs to have some simplicity to address the situations you've raised.
But first directing my questions to Johan, you certainly have gone through quite a situation that's beyond emotional; it's tragic, really. It has cost you dearly, and I appreciate that. It certainly is something that demands a response from this committee to the minister, and I want you to know that.
Certainly in your case it seems there was an issue of you having been born to your parents when they weren't married, along with the fact that one of your parents wasn't a Canadian. The fact that one of your parents was a Canadian, it would seem in simple terms, should have entitled you to be a citizen.
Perhaps there is a way we can deal with that, but I want you to know that I certainly hear your comments and concerns. It's beyond just an emotional issue; it's one that has cost you dearly. I readily agree that it demands a response, and you don't want anyone else to go through that.
I can assure you we will take your comments seriously. I know the minister has indicated to this committee that she would like to see some unanimity coming from here. In fairness, how you address it exactly may be an issue. I think Mr. Chapman has verbally read through a series of amendments that he proposes might be made. But as always, you want to be sure you're not creating another problem somewhere, so it needs to be looked at more particularly with a view to how it might address the testimony. At least we have heard from the categories that are more or less obvious.
With respect to Ms. Forrest, I'm not so sure in your particular case whether your citizenship had something to do with you being an infant while your parents became American citizens and by virtue of what they did. But certainly it would seem that someone born in Canada shouldn't necessarily lose that, at least while they're a minor. I take that to be your basic contention, and you'd like to see something in the legislation that would say that in that instance, a minor should not--without some consent on their part when they're adults--have the citizenship taken away by virtue of what somebody else did.
Lost Children of Canada
Yes, and I did want to say there have been a number of times, as I mentioned a little bit earlier, when I wanted to move back to this country, but when I found out my status, that I didn't have Canadian citizenship, I didn't. But I would like to live in Canada.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
I have a question I might ask you. I know you've attempted to apply for citizenship, but as you mentioned, Bill S-2 was passed more recently, and you had indicated that the efforts of John Reynolds were instrumental. Did you apply under the provision of that particular bill, Bill S-2?
Lost Children of Canada
No, I haven't since then. No, I got the passport and started to fill out the documents. Every time I called the office or contacted an embassy, I was confused as to which form I would come under, which form I should fill out.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
I'm not suggesting there needs to be an application form necessarily, or a cost to it, but checking on what has happened to Bill S-2 and whether there was an application in place was my first question, and the length of the application was the next question. I found that there is an application process in place. Certainly one could apply under that section, regardless of what this committee may do, and it may resolve your problem or it may not, but there's another option under Bill S-2.
While I'm at that, I might ask Mr. Chapman this. There may be issues regarding whether or not you ought to apply, but I know you were quite instrumental--or maybe not quite instrumental, but at least involved--in the passage of Bill S-2, which resolved part of the problem, which would at least apply, I would think, to you. Have you applied under Bill S-2 to get your citizenship done?
Lost Canadian Organization
No. I had spent $10,000 for my family to become landed immigrants, so I'm probably one of the few people in Canada who has a U.S. passport stamped “birth: Canada”, and I have a stamp that says I'm an immigrant in my own country.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
I appreciate that Bill S-2 has not covered your spouse or your children, and that's an issue we want to look at in terms of the amendments, but in part it did address some issues. But you'd have to go through an application process to have them--
Lost Canadian Organization
I have to go through an application process. Again, remember, for people like Gail and me, we have to put it in these terms: you can take an adopted child and process them anywhere in the world in six weeks, but you can't take my children and process them. For a Canadian-born child, it could take upwards of two years. Something seems wrong with that.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
I appreciate that. It's an option that's out there and--