36 Years Independent

36 years ago today, Canada became an independent country. Many people, including ordinary Canadians, wrongfully believe that they gained independence on July 1, 1867 (Canada Day) with Canadian Confederation. Confederation merely took several British North American colonies (Canada - which comprised of Quebec and Ontario-, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) and made them into one British North American colony. Direct British rule ended with the Statute of Westminster in 1931. From 1931 until 1982 the Canadian Government in Ottawa sent all Canadian bills to the British Government in London for approval (via the Governor-General.). If approved by the British Parliament it was signed by the British Queen/King (which has been Queen Elizabeth II since 1952) and sent back to the Canadian Parliament where it was then approved and then sent to the Queen of Canada (which has been Queen Elizabeth II since 1952) and signed. Canadian citizenship wasn’t even created until 1947. Before 1947 those born in Canada or having lived there for 3 years were called British subjects with ties to Canada. From 1947-1977 Canada didn’t allow for dual citizenship and those Canadians living outside of Canada for 10 years or longer or those Canadians who became citizens of other countries lost their Canadian Citizenship automatically. In 2009 citizenship was given back retroactively to those that had involuntarily lost it (but only to the first generation born outside of Canada.) Once Canadian Citizenship was created in 1947 people in Canada were now known as both Canadian citizens as well as British subjects. In 1982 with Patriation (Canada becoming a fully independent country) the term “British subject” was changed to “Commonwealth citizen.” Patriation was created by Canada (with the UK’s consent) and was so popular that it was used by Australia and New Zealand in 1986 to make them completely independent as well.