Why millions of New Englanders may now be eligible for ‘proof’ they are Canadian citizens

Definitely a theoretical possibility but in practice, given that most parents will not have met the residency requirement needed for the second and third generation to claim citizenship will likely be a small percentage. But proof data will show the extent of any increase but only broken down by country:

…Bill C-3 allows citizenship to flow beyond the first generation born or adopted abroad, ultimately recognizing an entire chain of descendants, as long as there is a Canadian citizen who anchors the chain with at least 1,095 days (three years) of cumulative physical presence in Canada. The descendants will automatically be new citizens, able to obtain proof of Canadian citizenship, rather than having to apply for citizenship.

Patrick White, a journalism professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal, points to significant interest in obtaining Canadian citizenship by the descendants of French Canadians who migrated from Quebec to New England.

“I see a genuine interest in Facebook groups associated to Franco Americans,” White said in an email to National Post. One group, based in Maine, posted news about the new legislation in early February.

“Close to one million French Canadians left Québec between 1840 and 1930,” says White, citing Franco-American historian, David Vermette, who described the migration in his book, Distinct Alien Race: The Untold Story of Franco-Americans.

Their descendants “now represent almost 10 million Americans,” says White. “The current climate in the U.S. is leading many of them to inquire about the possible acquisition of Canadian citizenship because of the changes made here in December. This is a ‘Plan B’ for them.”

Though, “it’s too early to say” if there how many will be applying, he adds.”

Source: Why millions of New Englanders may now be eligible for ‘proof’ they are Canadian citizens