The Imperial Presidency, Part 2

[robkelk]

Change in Canada's citizenship law hitting U.S. archives

While the increase in requests for genealogical records has not yet made it onto the radar of national associations of archivists in the U.S., many American archives — both large and small — are experiencing unintended consequences from Bill C-3.

Bill C-3 allows Canadian citizenship for those who can prove they're descended from a Canadian ancestor, even if that ancestor left the country several generations back. It was adopted after the courts ruled that limiting citizenship to the first generation born outside Canada was too restrictive.

It has become very popular — particularly with Americans.

According to the most recent figures available from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 6,635 people received Canadian citizenship certificates as a result of Bill C-3 between Dec. 15, 2025 and June 30, 2026. More than half of the newly recognized Canadian citizens under Bill C-3 – 3,510 people — were born in the United States.

What does it say about a country that thousands of its citizens take the first opportunity to claim citizenship in another country in half a year?