77: Citizenship

The Canadian Citizenship Act

77 years ago today (June 27, 1946) The Canadian Citizenship Act (French: Loi sur la citoyenneté Canadienne) was passed. It created Canadian Citizenship for the first time ever.

Brief Canadian Citizenship History:

From 1633-1763: Those living in the Colony of New France (Quebec) were “French Citizens.” They later automatically became “British Subjects.”

From 1583-1867: Those living in the Colony of British North America (Canada) were “British Subjects”, but not British Citizens.

From 1867- 1914: The British North American Act made those living in Canada “British Subjects with a Connection to the Dominion of Canada.”)

From 1876-2013: The 1876 Indian Act made Indians living in Canada “Wards of the State” subjected to the Federal Government and not the Provinces or Territories. The Federal Government had direct say over what they could and could not do.

It also created a separate “Status Indians” (those who lived on Reservations and are on the Indian Register) and “Non-Status Indians” (those not living on Reservations, not on the Indian Register and neither considered Indians nor Canadians.) Non-Status Indians was done away with in 2013.

From 1914-1946: Those living in Canada became “British Subjects and Canadian Nationals.” The order is important to note.

From 1946-1982: Those living in Canada became “Canadian Citizens and British Subjects.”

In 1953: a separate Canadian Monarchy was created with Queen Elizabeth II (Queen Elizabeth 1 in Canada) becoming the first Canadian Monarch and the First (and so far only) Canadian Queen.

King Charles III is the Current Canadian Monarch and the First (and so far only) Canadian King.

It also created the Canadian Royal Family.

From 1946-1967: Any Canadian Citizen living outside of Canada for 10 years or longer or who acquired Citizenship of another country automatically lost their Canadian Citizenship.

From 1960-1982: Status Indians could also become “Canadian Citizens and British Subjects” if they applied for. It.

From 1976- Present Day: Dual Citizenship is officially allowed in Canada.

From 1982-Present Day:  When Canada became a completely independent country due to Patriation those living in Canada (including Indigenous Peoples) are now “Canadian Citizens and Commonwealth Citizens.”

From 2009- Present Day: Re-instated Canadian Citizenship to those that had automatically lost it between 1946-1976 if they apply for it. Limited Citizenship to the Second Generation born outside of Canada.

In 2014: Gave Canadian Citizenship to “The Lost Canadians” (Those that should have received Canadian Citizenship since 1946, but were denied it by the Canadian Government despite their undeniable ties to Canada.)

Note: I am a dual Canadian and American Citizen as well as a Commonwealth Citizen (through my Canadian Citizenship.)

I am considered a Natural Born Canadian (not Naturalized) and a Natural-Born American (not Naturalized.)

This picture is a stamp that the Royal Mail Canada (today Canada Post) created in 1946 to honor (honour in Canada) the new Canadian Citizenship Law.