Stripped of their citizenship

The Canadian government was aware and warned repeatedly years before an arcane law began stripping longtime Canadians of their citizenship, says a man who spent decades lobbying for change.

Bill Janzen, the former head of the Mennonite Central Committee's office in Ottawa, said he and his colleagues met with the federal government throughout the 1980s and 1990s to find a fix to the so-called 28-year rule.

The provision was part of a 1977 law that automatically removed citizenship from people born abroad to Canadian parents who were also born outside the country.

"The government holds a big responsibility for this," Janzen said. "They've created a mess."

The law applies to people born between Feb. 15, 1977, and April 16, 1981, no matter how quickly after their birth they moved to Canada. It was rescinded in 2009, but the change didn't apply retroactively.

The only way to prevent the automatic loss of citizenship was to apply to retain it before the age of 28 — a detail legal experts contend the government failed to adequately communicate to those affected.

Janzen said he has heard numerous stories of people going to citizenship officials and being told they had never heard of the law.

"They said, 'Don't worry about it. Go home and enjoy Canada. ... Once a Canadian, always a Canadian,' " Janzen said, noting that officials often pointed out the absence of any expiry date on their citizenship cards.

"It happened again and again and again."

Janzen has helped more than 180 people navigate the expensive and time-intensive process of regaining their citizenship over the years, So far, 160 requests have been approved.

Stefan Janzen of Surrey, B.C., was caught by the 28-year rule but was able to regain his citizenship after years of work.

"Everyone I talked to seemed very confused. They didn't know what exactly was going on," he said. "They thought I was a citizen but they weren't quite sure."

After being directed to file the incorrect paperwork, Janzen eventually made the correct application and had his Canadian status restored at a citizenship ceremony in June 2013.

Instead of using a landed-immigrant card to sign in like all the other soon-to-be Canadians, Janzen raised some eyebrows when he presented his Canadian passport.

He said he wants the government to find a solution and notify those affected.