May 12, 2014:
Melynda Jarratt, War Brides Historian, and Don Chapman will
appear before the Parliamentary Committee on Citizenship
and Immigration in Ottawa for hearings on Bill C-24,
An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act. Location: Room C-110,
1 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario, 4:30 - 5:30 pm.
February 6, 2014:
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Chris Alexander
will introdouce changes to the Canadiadn Citizenship Act that
will finally include Lost Canadian War Bride children? The
proof of the pudding is in the eating they say... Click
here to find out more...
To mark Remembrance Day we have a special section on a wonderful book called The Scarlet Dawn , which was written by Father Raymond Hickey, padre of the North Shore Regiment of New Brunswick. Father Hickey landed with his men of the North Shore at Saint Aubin sur Mer at 8:10 am, June 6, 1944.
November 10, 2013: It Was The Dance wins award in documentary film category at Silver Wave Film Festival
August 6, 2013: MacLeans Magazine Canadian citizenship laws may need to be overhauled if a so-called “lost Canadian” wins her legal battle. Jackie Scott, 68, was refused citizenship even though she came to Canada with her British mother and Canadian father at the age of two. More on LostCanadian.com
June 29, 2013: Documentary Film "It Was The Dance" airs on CBC Television
November 11, 2011
- Interview with Melynda Jarratt live 5 pm Eastern Standard
Time on The Simi Sara Show with guest host Mike Smyth on CKNW
radio in Vancouver http://www.cknw.com/
November 10, 2011
- Talk on War Brides at St. Anne's Court, Retirement Home
in Fredericton, NB.
November 4, 2011
- NB Author's Tour, Melynda Jarratt speaks at Oromoco Public
Library in Oromocto, New Brunswick.
October 19-20, 2011
- NB Author's Tour, Melynda Jarratt speaks at St. Andrew's
Public Library in St. Andrew's, New Brunswick and at Grand
Manan High School, Grand Manan, NB.
August 12, 2011
- Canadian War Brides and Families, First Reunion in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, contact jreichardt@netidea.com
phone 250 352 7013 or Jean Fells: jean.fells@shaw.ca
May 25, 2011
- Melynda Jarratt speaks at Glasgow Women's Library in Glasgow,
Scotland.
March 8, 2011
- On International Women's Day, stand up
for the "Lost" Canadian War Bride Children who are
being treated so badly by Canada's Department of Citizenship
and Immigration. Click
here for more...
February 9, 2011 - War Brides Fonds Established at Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. Click here for more.
December 30, 2010 - Queen Elizabeth becomes a great grandmother to a "Canadian" child. Mother Autumn Phillips a Canadian citizen, baby girl has dual Canadian-British nationality. But first generation born abroad Canadian citizens be warned: their children must be born in Canada to obtain citizenship, otherwise, they become Lost Canadians. Click here for more.
November 12, 2010- Historian Melynda Jarratt and War Bride child Ian Munroe of Halifax, meet with Hon. Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, in Fredericton, NB to discuss citizenship denial of War Bride children.
November 10, 2010- If you're in Halifax, go to "Sentimental Journey: Songs of the War Years" at the Halifax Casino.
October 31, 2010- Justin Trudeau leads call for Citizenship reform in Vancouver Observer: "War Brides and their children were promised citizenship upon arrival, and most of them believed they were. But as the children are discovering today, when they make application for Old Age pension or a passport, they are still being denied."
October 28, 2010- War bride finally gets her Canadian passport after years of being denied, Vancouver Sun.
October 1-3, 2010-New Brunswick War Brides Association Final Reunion in Fredericton, NB. Contact Betty Hawkins, 506-444-9010, Mary Oliver, 506-450-9062, or Olive Forbes, 506-457-6236.
May 2010- The last Saskatchewan War Brides Association reunion took place in Regina. For photos, go to Facebook
April 2010-The late Eswyn Lyster's much anticipated history of Canada's War Brides "Most Excellent Citizens" is now available from Trafford Publishing.
November
1, 2009 - Lost Canadian saga continues Jackie Scott,
daughter of Canadian servicman and British War Bride denied citizenship. Click
here to read her story.
July 28, 2009
-Dingwall Library, Dingwall Scotland,
Melynda Jarratt will speak about her books War Brides
and Captured Hearts.
June 11,
2009 -YouTube Video of Mrs. Isobel
Boone, Scottish War Bride from Aberdeen, Scotland speaking of her arrival in New
Brunswick, Canada in December 1946. Click here to view!
May 25, 2009 -War
Brides: The Stories of the Women Who Left Everything Behind to Follow the Men
They Lovedis now available in Canada from
Dundurn Press! Click here for further information.
April
17, 2009 -After many long years of lobbying successive
Canadian governments, the Canadian Citzienship Act finally changes to embrace
all "Lost Canadian" War Brides and War Bride Children.
Regrettably, some exceptions still apply, especially for those born out of wedlock.
For further information, go to http://www.LostCanadian.com
Saskatchewan
War Brides Association Reunion - May 1-3, 2009,
The SWBA is holding its annual reunion in Regina this year. For further information
contact the SWBA or click here to download the registration
form.
January 30, 2009 - SCAM ALERT!!Have you been contacted by telephone by someone purporting
to sell $250 Plaques from this website CanadianWarBrides.com as a fundraiser for
veteran's famillies? THIS IS A SCAM! DO
NOT GIVE YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION TO THESE PEOPLE. Please alert the RCMP if
you receive such an inquiry.
January
24, 2009 - New Book by English War Bride, Winnie Keirstead "From Grief
to Grace". Contact
us for ordering information.
September
19-21, 2008: New Brunswick War Brides Association reunion. For further
information contact NBWBA.
September
18, 2008 - Bev Tosh's War Brides: Portraits of an Era
at the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery in Saskatchewan. (From
September 18, 2008 to January 4, 2009.) For further information go to www.WarBrides.com
June
13, 2008 - Brand new Newfoundland
War Brides website launched by webmaster Jackie Alcock, daughter of War Bride
Mary Fletcher Sheppard. For more info go to www.nlwarbrides.ca
May
8, 2008 - Bev Tosh's War Brides: Portraits of an Era at
the Royal BC Museum in Victoria (from May 8 to Sept. 1, 2008).
It will be up for Mother's Day and through the busy summer months. From September
18, 2008 to January 4, 2009, the exhibition of paintings will be shown at the
Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery in Saskatchewan. For further
information go to www.WarBrides.com
May
2-4, 2008 - Saskatchewan War Brides Association reunion a huge success.
April 29, 2008 - Bill C-37
passes in the House of Commons and receives Royal Assent. Lost Canadians can come
home at last.
April 10, 2008
- 10:45 am - 1 pm Ottawa time. Bill C-37 Senate Hearings, War Brides /
Lost Canadians Citizenship to be front and center. Click here to watch live
on line or on CPAC.
March
4, 2008 - Bill C-37 has Second Reading in Senate. Click here for Orders
of the Day.
February 27, 2008
- Bill C-37 has First Reading in the Senate.
February
26, 2008 - Rare World War One Canadian War Bride documents
that belonged to the late Mrs. Evis Jensen. Click here
for more.
February 25, 2008
- War Bride book review "Our Mornings May Never Be "
by Joan MacDonald. Click here for more.
February
15, 2008 - Bill C-37 passes Third Reading in the House of Commons. Next
stop, the Senate. But calls for an election and threats of dissolving Parliament
are seriously jeopardizing the Bill. WE SAY "Put politics aside and
pass this Bill for the good of War Brides, their children and all the other Lost
Canadians - or forever face our wrath!" Phone
and write the Senate and tell them to pass Bill C-37!!
February
13, 2008 - The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration
meets at 3:30 p.m. EST for clause by clause consideration of Bill C-37. Click
below to link to the Webcast on ParlVu
(audio only). Be sure to choose the “English” option to get the simultaneous
translation from the French.
February
11, 2008 - Cookbook For British Wives. Click here
to view a copy of the original cookbook that was distributed
to War Brides during World War Two.
February
11, 2008 - 3:30 - 5:30 pm Ottawa time. Hearings on Bill C-37, Royal
Canadian Legion representatives Pierre Allard, Service Bureau Director
and Erl Kirsh, Dominion Vice President, to testify. To listen to the proceedings
live on line go to the House of Commons PARLVU
and click on the CIMM meeting.
February
7, 2008 - Following previous day's meeting and Motion, Bill C-37 finally
passes Second Reading in the House and is sent back to the Committee for review.
February 6, 2008 - Hearings
in Ottawa on Bill C-37 the proposed Lost Canadians / War Bride citizenship legislation.
Don Chapman of the Lost
Canadians, War Bride historian Melynda Jarratt and Bill Janzen of the Mennonite
Central Committee of Canada to speak. On motion of MP Andrew Telegdi, Vice-Chair,
it was agreed, — That, in the opinion of the Committee, the government
should refer Bill C-37 to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration
as soon as possible; and That the Chair report this to the House.Hansard
not available yet.
Click here to read the legislative summary of Bill C-37 in PDF format.
January
29, 2008 - Starting today, surviving Womens Land Army
and Timberjills can apply for a badge recognizing their service
during World War Two. Click here for more information
about how to apply on line or by mail from DEFRA (Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs).
January
28, 2008:Bev Tosh's War Brides: Portraits of an Era has
finished its stay at Canada's War Museum and is on its way to
the Royal BC Museum in Victoria (from May 8 to Sept. 1, 2008).
It will be up for Mother's Day and through the busy summer months. From September
18, 2008 to January 4, 2009, the exhibition of paintings will be shown at the
Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery in Saskatchewan. For further
information go to www.WarBrides.com
It's official -Joe Taylor is a Canadian citizen! Taylor accepts Section 5.4
grant of citizenship on the condition that amendments to Canada's Citizenship
Act will fix archaic rules that have shut out hundreds of thousands of "Lost
Canadians" and War Bride children since 1947. Press release coming.
December
3, 2007 - Early Christmas present for Joe Taylor? Taylor
confirms he has been offered citizenship by Citizenship and Immigration, but will
changes to Citizenship Act stop him from going to Supreme Court? Find out more
on December 5, 2007 when Committee on Citizenship and Immigration releases all
committee report on Lost Canadians / War Brides.
November
29, 2007 - It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings. All
party support for recommendations on Lost Canadians / War Brides at Committee
on Citizenship and Immigration. Report due Wednesday, December 5, 2007.
November
9, 2007 - Lest We Forget War Brides and their kids, editorial
in Vancouver
Sun. Click here to read all the news about Joe
Taylor's case.
November 2, 2007 - GOV'T
INSULT to WAR BRIDES AND VETERANS. Federal Court
of Appeal rules in government's favour, says War Bride children are not
citizens. How are they going to explain that one to War Brides and veterans
on the eve of Remembrance Day? Supreme Court of Canada, here we come! Click
here to read the full 45 page decision.When the going
gets tough, the tough get going!!
October
22, 2007 - UN Refugee Agency Report compares Canada's policy on War
Brides and Lost Canadians to Vietnam and Zimbabwe! Click here to read
the Canadian
Press story. Lay down with dogs and you get up with fleas...
September
18-19, 2007 - Canadian gov't challenges War Bride citizenship in Vancouver courtroom.
Canada's Immigration Dept. appeals Joe Taylor's 2006 BC Federal Court ruling
granting citizenship to War Brides and children in spite of warning by Justice
Martineau that the case has ramifications "beyond Joe Taylor." > Read the
official four page summary
and / or full
decision of Justice Martineau's Sept. 2006 decision on the Federal Court of
Canada website. >
Click here to read Chapter
8, "War Bride Children" from Melynda Jarratt's new book War
Brides: The stories of the women who left everything behind to follow the men
they loved, which examines Joe Taylor's citizenship fight with the Canadian
government and its implications for all Canadian War Brides and the children they
brought with them to Canada at the end of WWII. >
Click here to read recent articles in the Toronto
Sun, Vancouver Sun (Sept
15 and Sept
19) and the Edmonton
Sun.
June 6, 2007 - 63 years
ago today Joe Taylor's father stormed the beaches
of Normandyin the D-Day landings. A month later,
he found out his English girlfriend was pregnant but was refused "Permission
to Marry" by his Commanding Officer. Joe Sr. continued to fight through France,
Holland, Belgium and Germany. In February 1945 he was finally given leave to England
where he married the mother of his then five month old son Joe Jr. Because
Joe Jr. was "born out of wedlock" before January 1, 1947, he can't be
a Canadian citizen according to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Diane
Finley. Tell her you think that is WRONG and a violation of the Charter
of Rights.
June 5, 2007 - More hearings in
Ottawa on War Bride citizenship.Click here
to view Standing Committee and senior officials of the Department, including two
legal experts, giving evidence. Tune in on ParlVu (audio only) at 11:00 EDT. Continued
discussion about Joe Taylor in the House of Commons in debates
about Bill C-57, an amendment to the Citizenship Act to deal with strippers. The
only people being "stripped" of their citizenship are War Bride children
who were born out of wedlock before their parents married and Mennonites.
May
29, 2007 - Sorry Minister, but it's not good enough. Victory
for Lost Canadians - and we are appreciative of that - but why
leave Joe Taylor and the Mennonites behind? Minister Diane Finley announces proposed
amendments to the Citizenship Act that will cover "most" of the Lost
Canadian / War Bride issues except for Joe Taylor, and Mennonites because of the
marital status provision of the 1947 Citizenship Act.We
call that discrimination based on marital status, which is a contravention of
the Charter of Rights and something which Canadians are not willing to put up
with in the 21st century. Send an email
to the Minister Diane Finley and tell her to give Joe Taylor and other "born
out of wedlocks" like the Mennonites their citizenship!
May
29, 2007 - More hearings in Ottawa on War Bride Citizenship featuring three
War Bride children who are facing citizenship difficulties and Melynda Jarratt,
War Bride historian. Click here
for more information.
Check out MP
Andrew Telegdi's website and read all about Lost Canadians and War Bride children
who are being stripped of their citizenship!
May
12-13, 2007 - Canadian War Museum - Bev Tosh's War Brides: Portraits of an Era
is an exhibition organized by the Canadian War Museum
in collaboration with Bev Tosh. Official "Welcome
for War Brides" at 2 pm on May 13th. The exhibit will be presented
in the Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae Gallery. For more information click
here.
March 26, 2007 - Televised
Parliamentary Hearings on Citizenship and Immigration of War Brides and
their children. Click here
for information on how to listen to the hearings LIVE on the
internet. Click
here to read the notice of hearing and list of speakers.
Click
here to read the official presentation given at the Committee Hearings on
March 19 by Erl Kish, Dominion Vice President, Royal Canadian Legion, in support
of the citizenship of War Brides and their children. [PDF format]
March
24, Archival Documents from the wartime files of the Immigration Branch
which show that War Brides and the children they brought with them to Canada between
1942 and 1948 are Canadian Citizens. Click
here to view this treasure trove, including some particularly interesting
correspondence between the then Ministers of Veterans Affairs,
Trade and Commerce and Immigration Branch!
February
19 & 26, March 19-26, 2007 - Parliamentary Hearings on Citizenship
and Immigration in Ottawa to include War Bride citizenship issue,
for further information go to www.Telegdi.org
Jan 24, 2007 - Question:
Are War Brides and the children they brought with them to Canada on the War Bride
ships 61 years ago Canadian citizens? Answer: They would be if the Citizenship
Act was Charter compliant! According to PC 7318 (page
1 and page 2) and PC 858
(page 1 and page
2) they are citizens. So why in heaven's name is the Harper government challenging
the citizenship of so many War Bride children who were brought to this country
as babies on board the War Bride ships?
Read
the article by Peter Worthington in the January 24th Toronto
Sun.
Download a petition to send to the Prime Minister at MP Andrew
Telegdi’s website: www.telegdi.org
Jan 4, 2007 - New Book on Canadian
War Brides: This is your chance to have your
story appear in a new book by Melynda Jarratt about Canadian War Brides
that will be published in England this summer by Tempus Publishing. Deadline
for submission is February 15. For more information, click
here or check out the What's New section.
November
10, 2006 - Opening of Museum
exhibition "The War Brides of New Brunswick" at the York Sunbury Museum
in Fredericton, NB. Click here
for images of the opening.
A new book which
features a fully researched chapter on Canadian War Brides is Voices of
the Left Behind: Project Roots and the Canadian War Children of World War Two
. Click here for more information about the book and how to purchase
it through Dundurn
Press.
This website was researched and developed by
Canada's leading experts on War Brides as a gift to all Canadians - from war brides
and their husbands, to their children and grandchildren, from students and researchers
to writers and academics who are exploring this area of Canadian history for the
first time. Because this is any entirely voluntary undertaking, we ask
that you request permission to use any of
the information found on this website as it is fully copyrighted .
If you're looking specifically for War
Bride Passenger Lists , we recommend Debbie Beavis, a British researcher
who has done a considerable amount of work in this area and is familiar with the
War Bride story. Debbie can be contacted by email at marine@beavis.co.uk
. Debbie also runs the War Bride Listserv .
If you're a filmmaker, researcher or writer with
a burning question about the Canadian War Brides, or if you have an announcement
to make about an upcoming book, film, or event in your community, you can contact
us.
To mark the 60th anniversary of D-Day, we have
a special section on a wonderful book called The
Scarlet Dawn , which was written by Father Raymond Hickey, padre
of the North Shore Regiment of New Brunswick. Father Hickey landed with his men
of the North Shore at Saint Aubin sur Mer at 8:10 am, June 6, 1944.
War Brides: The stories of the women who left everything behind to follow the men they loved is now available in Canada at Dundurn Press, at your local bookseller or on line at Amazon.ca and Amazon.com
Captured Hearts: New Brunswick's War Brides
Available from GooseLane Editions
Canadian and US War Bride Passsenger Lists are available on line from FindMyPast.com
Click here for larger image. The late Helen (Grant) Hitchon and her son Alan on board the RMS Mauretania, February 5, 1946 as it departed from Liverpool.
Photo courtesy of the late (Sgt.) K.M. Hermiston, CWAC Photographer, WWII
