I’m extremely proud to be a Canadian citizen, even though until two days ago I had absolutely no clue that I am.
I’ve had a love affair with Canada and Canadians for my entire life. My mother was Canadian, one of my first girlfriends was Canadian, my booze of choice is Canadian whiskey and even my horse when I was a kid was a Canadian horse. I grew up on a Montana farm only 30 miles from the Alberta border and my grandparents and many other relatives were Albertans so at times while growing up I spent almost as much time in Canada as I did in the U.S.
Besides my personal connections to Canada, I love their culture and their people. Canadians are more friendly, more peaceful and more receptive to different ethnicities and cultures than we are. They’re also less polarized and less religious than their southern neighbors, both of which have immense appeal for me.
There have been two periods in my adult life when I’ve seriously considered moving to Canada and I’m going through one those periods now – even though I know for fact that I’m too damned old to be pulling such shenanigans as moving across the street, much less to another country. But I’ve always figured that since my mother was a Canadian citizen when I was born, it might be easier for me to get Canadian citizenship than it would for most folks. So for years I’ve had sporadic daydreaming episodes of gaining dual citizenship. And maybe even someday, doing something about it.
Following is the story of my family as it relates to my citizenship. It’s complicated and convoluted but if you can get through it, you should have a reasonably coherent concept of why I’m so excited about a discovery I made two days ago.
The young lady on the left is my mother in September of 1941, not long after she graduated from high school. The rest of the folks in the photo are her parents (my grandparents of course) and her four younger siblings. Yes, her two oldest brothers were tall basketball players. They’re standing in front of their farmhouse on the outskirts of tiny Glenwood, Alberta where they lived and where all the kids were born. So, my mother was a Canadian citizen.
My Dudley grandparents and young uncle Floyd in Colorado in 1919. Grandma was pregnant with my dad when the photo was taken. Dad was born in this house.
By the early 1900’s my dad’s family had moved from Utah to (also tiny) Hill Spring, Alberta, only six miles down the road from Glenwood, so the Dudley’s were American citizens living in Canada. To make the story even more convoluted, in 1919 they moved to Grand Valley, Colorado, for one year only, before they moved back to Hill Spring. Dad was born in 1920 while they were still in Colorado. So, for both reasons, he was an American citizen.
In the early 1940’s mom and dad ended up falling in love but they very reluctantly put off getting married until he returned from WWII. After being involved in the invasion of Okinawa and the war ending, Dad spent a year on occupation duty in Korea so he didn’t get home until April of 1946. Within days of his return they were married and thirteen months later, in May of ’47, I burst onto the scene.
In 1929-30 dad’s father had purchased a farm 17 miles northwest of Cut Bank, Montana which is only 100 miles southeast of Glenwood and Hill Spring, Alberta. Dad ended up buying half of that farm from his father and that’s where we all lived while I was growing up – a happy farm family. I was born in the Cut Bank hospital and mom became a naturalized American citizen in the early to mid 50’s. I clearly remember her studying for and passing her naturalization test. It was a very big deal for all of us.
OK, that sets the stage for what happened two days ago.
In my despair over the current discord and dysfunction in our country I began to research what it would take for me to gain Canadian citizenship, even though I knew full well that at my age I almost certainly wouldn’t be moving there no matter what I found during my research. I just thought that having dual citizenship might give me some semblance of peace of mind (that may or may not make sense to you). I fully expected it to be a wild goose chase – that I would have no easy or practical path to Canadian citizenship.
So I was surprised and delighted to discover that I’m already a Canadian citizen! When I used “if my mother was a canadian citizen when I was born, do I have dual citizenship” as a google search term, this is the first link that came up in my search results. The first words I read were:
“Under recent amendments to Canada’s Citizenship Act, nearly all persons whose parent was born or naturalized in Canada are now Canadian citizens. This is true even if your parent left Canada as a child; married an American citizen (or other non-Canadian); or became a U.S. citizen (or citizen of another country). There is no age limit on claiming your Canadian citizenship.”
My jaw literally dropped. I’m already a Canadian citizen and further research, including research of Government of Canada websites, confirmed it. In order to prove it I need to apply to the Canadian government for a Certificate of Citizenship, which I intend to do, but I’m already a Canuck.
Will I move to Canada? Probably not, but I’m sure as hell happy “aboot” being Canadian. Somehow, it makes me feel more civilized.
Ron
Hurrah and congratulations! So happy for you!! And Bon Voyage when you travel to Canada!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and thank you so very much for your important, generous writings about birds and other wildlife. They are joys to read! Please come visit if you come East…we live in the forest!! À bientôt, Mary
Congratulations, Ron! That’s exciting!
Thank you, Shelley. Glad you saw this.
What a wonderful find! I wish I could say the same but I missed it by a generation. (Ile d’ Orleans @ 1620). Maybe a late in life shuffle north wouldn’t be such a big deal for you? Oh, and my ancestors came over on the Arabella too! It’s very scary about what has happened to democracy in this country. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!
“Oh, and my ancestors came over on the Arabella too!”
Seems to me that’s quite a coincidence, Sybby. Now there’s two of us here on Feathered Photography.
Hi Ron. Congratulations on your new found Canadian citizenship. I have been following the horrifying political developments in the US and fear for that nations future. I hope democracy can prevail.
If you are ever visiting southern Alberta give me a call, I’m living west of Calgary.
Gary, I remember that you’re Canadian from our times on NPN back in the day. I might even remember that it was the Calgary area. We went on our honeymoon in Banff and Lake Louise, through Calgary. It snowed, and fiercely, on August 31st. Didn’t cool us down much though… 🙂
Very good to hear from you!
Oh, how wonderful, Ron. Congratulations. I really enjoyed reading your family history and seeing the photos; i can spend hours online going through family histories. Thank you for letting us in on your good news. My family has no hope of any kind of citizenship other than USA, but I wish I did. If things keep going in the direction politically that we’re heading now, there may be scores of people who decide it’s too dark and frightening a future here in our Republic. (If only it were truly a democracy.)
I’m afraid you’re right, Nina. Thank you.
Will you marry me?
I haven’t guffawed that hard for a very long time, Kathryn. I’m still laughing.
You’re out’a luck. I’m already a two time loser… 🙂
Fun picture and story! All 4 of my kids actually got their Canadian certificate for many of the same reasons! I traveled on a Canadian passport for most of my life but finally decided to become an American citizen because of the hassle of going through a different customs line than my family. Unlike your mother I didn’t study for the test (after all I had spent almost my whole life in the US) and I nearly didn’t pass!! So grateful for the legacy of the family that binds us! Miss them all!! Thanks for the fun post and a happy Canuck welcome!!
I was really, really hoping you’d see this, Marsha. I keep staring at your mother in the picture and remembering what a wonderful and kind aunt she always was to me.
I think of her often, only in part because I bought the same cooking pans she had (Circulon) on her recommendation. That was about 30 years ago and I’m still using those pans every day so her recommendation was an excellent one. To this day, when I reach for one of those pans I often think of your mom.
That naturalization test was pretty easy for mom to pass too. While she was studying for it she used to say that Canadians knew far more about American history and American government than most Americans did. She aced the test.
Great story! And what a civilized citizenship policy! Love those family photos, too. I think you’ve posted before a photo of your mom in her nurse’s uniform which has that same look of joy!
Congratulations on your Canadian citizenship!
“I think you’ve posted before a photo of your mom in her nurse’s uniform which has that same look of joy.”
It’s funny you should mention that photo in her nursing uniform, Carolyn. I actually had that photo in today’s post while I was working on it but just before I published my post I removed it because I didn’t think it really helped me tell the story. I like that photo a lot.
Congratulations….what a wonderful discovery…..maybe that’s why I felt there was something special about you.
Thanks, Patty. Very good to hear from you.
I totally understand your elation at this discovery. And, your inability to move… Just the same, it is an excellent option.
That’s what I’ll keep it as, EC – an option.
Qualified for and applied for an Irish passport back in the nineties. It’s my security blanket.
Good for you.
I get it. Government goings on aren’t currently very civilized. Scares me a bit.
Deedee, it scares me more than a bit.
That is very a generous citizenship law. My mom and uncle spent summers in Canada on their aunt and uncles farm. I believe their three cousins were born in Canada. When the aunt and uncle divorced, when the children were older, she came to Utah and lived with her sister, my grandmother and mom in Salt Lake until my aunt established a home in Moab. I don’t know if all the children went with her to Moab, they were older. I know the youngest did. They all stayed in the states. Only one of the three cousins are still living and in Oklahoma. I have second cousins scattered in Utah, Texas, and Oklahoma. I have kept friendship and contact with my two second cousins who are about my age. I don’t believe any of them were very religious except the youngest cousin who joined a religion when older and become very active. I will have to tell them about the crazy law. I doubt they would move but they are adventurous and have lived in amazing areas while doing missions for their church. I believe the reason they moved to Oklahoma was to be closer to more church members. I am sure my mom will read this and correct any of my wrong memories next time we speak 🙂
April, it would interesting to know how your cousins might react. When I told my sister and two cousins about it, it certainly got their attention. My sister was absolutely delighted.
The Canucks need to secure their southern border and build the wall.Eh
I hope not, Steven.
Good news for you! I can only wish for something similar. Unfortunately, my Canadian roots are not good. My dad and his father’s family trace directly back to Ireland. His mother’s family has a loose Canadian connection. During the time of the Revolution her ancestors fled to Canada to stay loyal to the British. They returned only a couple of generations later and my great-grandfather and his large family were all born in Wisconsin. So no claim of any real Canadian connection. But Canada has always had an attraction and is an appealing thought with our current situations.
“her ancestors fled to Canada to stay loyal to the British”
Dan, I think it’s interesting that until 1977, Canadians were still British citizens.
Great discovery eh?!! Growing up in Alaska ended up spending a lot of time in Western Canada – always delightful! My husband went through the process of obtaining dual citizenship with Ireland. He is immensely proud of his heritage. Being married to a European comes in handy while traveling extensively in Europe – we can avoid the Schengen restrictions. Congrats Ron! 🇨🇦🍁 Hope you like hockey 🤣😂
Nope, I’ve never been a hockey fan, Kathleen. I’ve always thought of that sport as being a little inconsistent with the generally peaceful nature of most Canadians. Maybe hockey is their outlet…
I get it! If my mother had been born a year earlier or my grandparents and uncle had moved to NY a year later, I’d be eligible for dual citizenship.
I did my first sleuthing about 35 years ago when I was hoping to go to grad school at the University of Waterloo. Had the aforementioned events happened, I would have qualified for in-province tuition. Unfortunately, it ended up being too expensive — I would have to prove that I had a little more than CAD$10,000 in ready and available funds, which in 1989 wasn’t going to happen. I often wonder how life would have been different and if I would have stayed in Canada.
” I often wonder how life would have been different and if I would have stayed in Canada.”
Marty, I have the same thoughts about things I did and didn’t do in my life. Seemingly small events often have huge effects on our lives.
Congratulations. Will you have to change your manner of speech. Hey !
“Will you have to change your manner of speech?”
Bruce, if I do it should be easy for me, since I’ve heard those Canadian pronunciations for so many years. The only one I’ll have difficulty with is the way many Canadians pronounce “garage”. That one’s always grated on me a little.
What a lovely photo to share and Congratulations to you. Yes many of us would like to move to a new location now days, with what is going on here. I too have found a few relatives who lived in Canada in my genealogy searching over the years. Merry Christmas to you and family.
Thanks, Trudy. Same to you.
Great story — congratulations! It is a very difficult time here so I understand your feelings.
Thank you, Laurie.
Like Everett, I recognized immediately which woman was your
mother–A very strong resemblance between you two ! I
absolutely empathize with your feeling these days……I wonder
how many Americans would “vote with their feet” right now if
they had your option– I, too , would be very tempted. Congratulations
to you– break out your curling iron !
“I wonder how many Americans would “vote with their feet” right now if they had your option.”
That’s a very good question, Kris. I’d like to know too.
As a kid I spent a lot of time watching both curling and hockey on TV at my grandparent’s house in Glenwood. I’ll admit, at first I thought they were all crazy…
I share your admiration of Canada and Canadians and can well understand why it feels good to have dual citizenship. Thanks for sharing more of your family history and that wonderful old photo!
Thanks very much, Cathy.
Congratulations. Lovely story.
Thanks, Lleni.
Congratulations Ron!!
As much as I love Canada, and would love to have dual citizenship, I’m steadfast here since my relatives came over on the Mayflower!
Dick, my Dudley ancestors came over on the Arbella as Pilgrims in 1630 but that fact alone wouldn’t keep me here. Not the way things are now.
I love reading all your family history stories! Grandma looks beautiful as always. I did see when doing some family history searches all the times grandpa crossed the Canadian border.
Let us know when you apply and if you really want to move, do it! You are never too old for an adventure. 🙂
Shawna, when I discovered all this it made me think of Mona. I’ll bet she’d just love to know that she was Canadian too. When I told Sheila, she was giddy about it.
I’ve also seen those online records of dad crossing the border. And Floyd. And Grandpa DeVere Dudley.
If you had grown up there you would have been a hockey player instead of a scientist and photographer. You can sure see that is your mother. If you showed photos of 50 mothers that age and asked which is Ron Dudley’s mom I would pick her out without hesitation.
Congratulations on your dual citizenship.
Everett, don’t think I’d have been a hockey player. I’d already begun losing my hair as a young man so I couldn’t afford to lose my teeth… 🙂
Glad you see a resemblance to my mom – something else to be proud of.
TOO funny! 🙂 It IS nice to be able to have duel citizenship tho. At one point they thought my father may have been born in Canada tho turned out not to be true. Most cousins on that side of the family are Canadian tho. Glad you made that discovery and are pleased with it….. 🙂
Thanks, Judy.
Soooo jealous!! I totally get the “peace of mind” thing. Wish I had an option. . .
Sue, if anyone would get it, it would be you.
I admit that this time frightens me more than any other time in my life.
I feel exactly the same way – thus my despair. And my internet searches.
And we thought the Cuban Missile Crisis was scary, right??
Congratulation! That is amazing. Great story. Would not blame you if you made the move.
This would mean my mother (God rest her soul) would have had Canadian citizenship as well. Her mother, Ozanna L’Heureux, was born in Aubigny.
My wife was born in Denmark, so my daughter was eligible to become a Danish citizen. The only requirement was that she spend a minimum of 3 months in Denmark before she turned 24. She did just that, and now holds dual citizenship.
No easy path for me though.
I feel much the same about Denmark as you do about Canada (and the US). Have visited many times, and feel much about Denmark as you do Canada. They are a lot alike. Have toyed with the idea of moving there.
Canada seems like the more tempting choice. No ocean to cross, and most of them speak English.
Thanks for sharing Ron.
Yup, you get it Michael. From what I know about Denmark, I understand your feelings.
And congratulations to your daughter!
Congratulations! Nice to have an option like dual citizenship. I am happy for you and envious.
Thanks, Brett. Sounds like you understand.