Can I find out if my grandfather became a Citizen of Canada?

[Trunkybun1]

My grandfather moved to Canada in approx 1906. He joined the North West Mounted Police and he also became a gold prospector and a homesteader in British Columbia in 1913 and worked on the railway to supplement his income. In 1916 he joined the Canadian Forestry Battalion and was posted back to England, the country of his birth. Recently, I read a letter from my aunt to my mother where she mentioned that she wondered if he had confused naturalisation papers with changing his name by deed poll. He did indeed go by another name, but it wasn't on his death certificate. I am wondering if he did take Canadian citizenship? Does anyone know how I might find out? Would he have been allowed to join the Canadian Forces if he was still British?

[Wee Bairn]

Have you tried the census?

[Dundee]

Canadians were British subjects and so was he.  Canadian citizenship did not come into force until 1947.

Debra 

[Trunkybun1]

Thanks for your responses. Initially I thought when I looked back at the census return of 1911, I would see that it would just say that he was born in England but it does say under Nationality that he is Canadian. I appreciate what Dundee says, that Canadians were British subjects until 1947 but I wonder if there was some paperwork you might undertake to show your allegiance to your new homeland. Alternatively, do you think it was just sloppy work by the enumerator of the census?

[dbree]

Hi,

No, no paperwork. A British subject born outside of Canada automatically became a Canadian
after being domiciled for 3 years. I think it was 2 years at some point, then it became 5 years
after 1919.

DB

[Trunkybun1]

Thank you Dbree!

[DianaCanada]

Neither of my English parents applied for Canadian citizenship until the 70’s, because the passport rules changed, I think.  My father came here as a child, joined the Cdn army in 1939 and met my mother in Sussex, and they married there in 1945.  They were just considered British subjects who lived in Canada.  I believe those who came here from outside the UK must have had to do some paperwork, swear allegiance to the British monarch…interesting to know how that was managed.

[Trunkybun1]

Thanks Diana Canada. I had a feeling it was that easy back then.