Above: Don Chapman (center), effectively changed Canadian legislation in Canada, enabling members of the UW community, including Robert Stacey, Division Dean, Arts and Humanities and Linda DiBiase, Collections Development Librarian (proudly displaying her citizenship card), to obtain their Canadian citizenship.
In April, the Canadian Studies Center hosted guest speaker, Don Chapman, finalist of the “Nation Builder of the Year” award by The Globe and Mail in 2007 and 2008. Chapman, a former UW student, has been the inspiration and effort behind the April 2009 Canadian legislation, Bill C-37, that amended the Citizenship Act to give Canadian citizenship to those who lost or never had it due to outdated provisions in legislation. Upwards of a million people can now call themselves Canadian citizens as a result. Chapman provided a roundtable discussion on “The Lost Canadians” legislation to faculty, students, and community members. He provided a background on the legislation including what it means to have Canadian or American citizenship and how children can still be born stateless.
This project was supported, in part, by funding from the Center’s Program Enhancement Grant, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Government of Canada and Title VI grant, US Department of Education, Office of International Education Programs Service.