New Canadian citizen as of January 1, 1947

[Larry Bullis]

Yep. I tried before, but the consul in Seattle said [and Oh, how Canadian!] "I'm SO sorry, but your father naturalized in the US in 1940 and died in 1944. Since there were no Canadian citizens until 1947 [he was a British subject] he never was a Canadian."

But last year, they changed the law. My certificate arrived last October.

I live in Anacortes, WA, in the US, I'd guess about 100 km south of Vancouver. In fact, we were at the Walker Evans show at the VAG last Friday. We spent some time in the Okanagan and the Kootenays last summer. What could be more beautiful than that? And last spring, we were in Sidney BC, at the other end of the ferry, because My wife had art in a sister cities exchange. It was a zone plate photograph.

Jane (aforesaid spousal unit) just reminded me that we need to know more Canadians. She's right. I feel like I'm Canadian, listen to Canadian radio and read the Globe and Mail, but I need to be there a lot more and be more a part of my other country. Being a citizen of two countries brought some surprises. I really feel the need to keep abreast of both.

I'm anything but new here on APUG. I've not been active for awhile, but it dawned on me that it's a good place to start.

 

[Dennis S]

Drinking some of our fine Canadian beer would be a good way to get your boots wet.

 

[MattKing]

If only I had known - I was at the Walker Evans show on Friday as well.
I'm glad to hear that you have appropriately been accepted as one of us.
In fact, we really are pretty close to being neighbours.

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Anac...39198!2m2!1d-122.6126718!2d48.5126045!1m0!3e0

 

[cowanw]

Thanks for the history lesson; I had no idea my parents were born British. Belated welcome!

 

[Larry Bullis]

If only I had known - I was at the Walker Evans show on Friday as well.
I'm glad to hear that you have appropriately been accepted as one of us.
In fact, we really are pretty close to being neighbours.

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Anac...39198!2m2!1d-122.6126718!2d48.5126045!1m0!3e0

We can see Canada from here on a clear day but you are in Delta, right? There's an island or two in the way. I just looked it up. 66km or 41 miles as the international crow flies. That's just like a round trip from here to Mount Vernon, our neighboring town where we get our groceries. Amazing.

Somebody at the show thought I was a Robert Frank. I'm not. But it seems pretty easy to meet people up there.

 

[Bob Carnie]

Do you have your Canadian Tuxedo yet. Also we Canadians are very polite so you need to work on that to fit in. Also being a Toronto Maple Leaf fan and a Blue Jay fan will help you integrate into our society.

 

[Bob Carnie]

Ps a touque is mandatory dress in most situations.

 

[Larry Bullis]

Drinking some of our fine Canadian beer would be a good way to get your boots wet.

I have explored that some already but it's clear that further research will be necessary. Also had some very good gin on Vancouver Island. And the wine industry in the Okanagan rivals Napa. It's amazing that this is not generally known even a few miles south of the border. I know of only one fine winery south of the border near Oroville, where there are hundreds beginning a few miles north. I've even heard Washington wine industry people express skepticism that grapes can even be grown north of Wenatchee in the US Okanogan (with an "o")!

We know so little about Canada down here! Something is wrong with that.

 

[Dennis S]

Do you have your Canadian Tuxedo yet. Also we Canadians are very polite so you need to work on that to fit in. Also being a Toronto Maple Leaf fan and a Blue Jay fan will help you integrate into our society.

He means western Canada so a Vancouver Canucks or a BC Lions Tuxedo would be more presentable out here. Ontario is not big favorite out here as it contains Ottawa.

 

[Julie McLeod]

Also being a Toronto Maple Leaf fan and a Blue Jay fan will help you integrate into our society.

But might not make you popular.

 

[gorbas]

On that very first Canadian citizenship ceremony in 1947 famous portrait photographer YOUSUF KARSH got his citizenship

 

[frank]

Bowzart, thank your lucky stars! Good timing.

 

[Bob Carnie]

But might not make you popular.

these days its even hard to wear a Leafs jersey in Toronto.

 

[frank]

these days its even hard to wear a Leafs jersey in Toronto.

Things are getting better. Much different team than in previous years.

(See? When you're Canadian, a discussion on hockey can beak out any time!)

 

[Julie McLeod]

these days its even hard to wear a Leafs jersey in Toronto.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Since your father was not Canadian, and you are not Canadian, does that mean that you do not have to act in "the Canadian way"?

 

[Theo Sulphate]

... I feel like I'm Canadian, listen to Canadian radio ...

Canada...

That's one of those foreign countries, isn't it? Well, let me say you write English very well.





Congratulations on your belated citizenship!

 

[cowanw]

The first Canadians
Naif Hanna Azar from Palestine, Jerzy Wladyslaw Meier from Poland, Louis Edmon Brodbeck from Switzerland, Joachim Heinrich Hellmen from Germany, Jacko Hrushkowsky from Russia, and Anton Justinik from Yugoslavia, Zigurd Larsen from Norway, Sgt. Maurice Labrosse from Canada, Joseph Litvinchuk, Roumania, Mrs. Labrosse from Scotland, Nestor Rakowitza from Roumania and Yousuf Karsh from Armenia with Mrs. Helen Sawicka from Poland along with the Prime Minister and 9 other politicians.

 

[Dennis S]

(See? When you're Canadian, a discussion on hockey can beak out any time!)

 

[MattKing]

The first Canadians

Actually, the first naturalized Canadians.
Thanks Bill. I didn't know that about Karsh.

And my wife and I go through Burlington and Mount Vernon regularly.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I thought that the first Canadians were the people of First Nations.

 

[Dennis S]

I thought that the first Canadians were the people of First Nations.

Thats exactly why we refer to them by name as "First Nations"

 

[cowanw]

Actually, in a way, based on the citizen certificate number they are the first. the Prime minister became 0001 and all the native born Canadians birth certificates show numbers greater than this group. Yes, in practice all other Canadians became citizens on Jan 1 1947 just after midnight but number wise this group were first.
And I am chuffed that there were two middle easterners.
As to the First Nations, that is still complicated. The Prime Minister of the time commented his disappointment at the absence of First Nations (and other specific groupings) in the first citizenship Bill of 1946. First Nations certainly are the first North Americans; Your point is well taken but we are talking legal citizenship here and this dates from 1956 for First Nations.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Lucky B*****d!

Just remember though that as a US Citizen even if you move to Canada you will still have to pay tax....

 

[Larry Bullis]

Do you have your Canadian Tuxedo yet. Also we Canadians are very polite so you need to work on that to fit in. Also being a Toronto Maple Leaf fan and a Blue Jay fan will help you integrate into our society.