By Daphne Bramham, The Vancouver Sun
Click here to read the full story in The Vancouver Sun
Since she was 20, Priscilla Corrie has believed that she was Canadian. The war bride had no reason not to. Up until a few years ago, she never had a problem getting a passport. She receives old age security and a veterans pension. At 87, it was a huge slap in the face when Canadian Citizenship and Immigration told her she was no longer eligible for a passport.
Mrs. Corrie's story is appalling and Kafka-esque. She is caught in a bureaucratic maze. Trapped there, Mrs. Corrie has missed out on three important events in her life -- the marriages of two of her grandchildren in Australia and the birth of her first great-grandchild. She also missed the change to go on an Alaskan cruise this summer. To read more about her story, click here.
Sadly, Mrs. Corrie's story is not all that unusual. In Wednesday's paper, I'll write about how another woman is not only being denied citizenship, she is being denied old-age security and may be at risk of losing her health benefits. The daughter of a Canadian, she was orphaned in the United States and brought back to Canada when she was six. The Canadian government had no problem with taking her income tax money. But now, it seems she's invisible and even at risk of being deported to a country she left 59 years ago.
Please add your comments. And if you'd like to contact Citizenship Minister Jason Kenney, his email is kennej@parl.gc.ca
If you've got a citizenship problem, one good source for information and help is www.lostcanadian.com
Click here to read the full story in The Vancouver Sun
