Canadian War Brides of World War Two, the authoritative website containing accurate reliable information on the history of the Canadian War Brides

September 19-21, 2008: New Brunswick War Brides Association reunion. For further information contact NBWBA.

September 18, 2008 - Bev Tosh's War Brides: Portraits of an Era at the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery in Saskatchewan. (From September 18, 2008 to January 4, 2009.) For further information go to www.WarBrides.com

June 13, 2008 - Brand new Newfoundland War Brides website launched by webmaster Jackie Alcock, daughter of War Bride Mary Fletcher Sheppard. For more info go to www.nlwarbrides.ca

May 8, 2008 - Bev Tosh's War Brides: Portraits of an Era at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria (from May 8 to Sept. 1, 2008). It will be up for Mother's Day and through the busy summer months. From September 18, 2008 to January 4, 2009, the exhibition of paintings will be shown at the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery in Saskatchewan. For further information go to www.WarBrides.com

May 2-4, 2008 - Saskatchewan War Brides Association reunion a huge success.

April 29, 2008 - Bill C-37 passes in the House of Commons and receives Royal Assent. Lost Canadians can come home at last.

April 10, 2008 - 10:45 am - 1 pm Ottawa time. Bill C-37 Senate Hearings, War Brides / Lost Canadians Citizenship to be front and center. Click here to watch live on line or on CPAC.

March 4, 2008 - Bill C-37 has Second Reading in Senate. Click here for Orders of the Day.

February 27, 2008 - Bill C-37 has First Reading in the Senate.

February 26, 2008 - Rare World War One Canadian War Bride documents that belonged to the late Mrs. Evis Jensen. Click here for more.

February 25, 2008 - War Bride book review "Our Mornings May Never Be " by Joan MacDonald. Click here for more.

February 15, 2008 - Bill C-37 passes Third Reading in the House of Commons. Next stop, the Senate. But calls for an election and threats of dissolving Parliament are seriously jeopardizing the Bill. WE SAY "Put politics aside and pass this Bill for the good of War Brides, their children and all the other Lost Canadians - or forever face our wrath!" Phone and write the Senate and tell them to pass Bill C-37!!

February 13, 2008 - The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration meets at 3:30 p.m. EST for clause by clause consideration of Bill C-37. Click below to link to the Webcast on ParlVu (audio only). Be sure to choose the “English” option to get the simultaneous translation from the French.

February 11, 2008 - Cookbook For British Wives. Click here to view a copy of the original cookbook that was distributed to War Brides during World War Two.

February 11, 2008 - 3:30 - 5:30 pm Ottawa time. Hearings on Bill C-37, Royal Canadian Legion representatives Pierre Allard, Service Bureau Director and Erl Kirsh, Dominion Vice President, to testify. To listen to the proceedings live on line go to the House of Commons PARLVU and click on the CIMM meeting.

February 7, 2008 - Following previous day's meeting and Motion, Bill C-37 finally passes Second Reading in the House and is sent back to the Committee for review.

February 6, 2008 - Hearings in Ottawa on Bill C-37 the proposed Lost Canadians / War Bride citizenship legislation. Don Chapman of the Lost Canadians, War Bride historian Melynda Jarratt and Bill Janzen of the Mennonite Central Committee of Canada to speak. On motion of MP Andrew Telegdi, Vice-Chair, it was agreed, — That, in the opinion of the Committee, the government should refer Bill C-37 to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration as soon as possible; and That the Chair report this to the House. Hansard not available yet.
Click here to read the legislative summary of Bill C-37 in PDF format.

January 29, 2008 - Starting today, surviving Womens Land Army and Timberjills can apply for a badge recognizing their service during World War Two. Click here for more information about how to apply on line or by mail from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

January 28, 2008: Bev Tosh's War Brides: Portraits of an Era has finished its stay at Canada's War Museum and is on its way to the Royal BC Museum in Victoria (from May 8 to Sept. 1, 2008). It will be up for Mother's Day and through the busy summer months. From September 18, 2008 to January 4, 2009, the exhibition of paintings will be shown at the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery in Saskatchewan. For further information go to www.WarBrides.com

January 24, 2008 - Joe Taylor takes oath of Citizenship in Vancouver. Large crowd witnesses historic event. Click here for pictures of the event!

It's official - Joe Taylor is a Canadian citizen! Taylor accepts Section 5.4 grant of citizenship on the condition that amendments to Canada's Citizenship Act will fix archaic rules that have shut out hundreds of thousands of "Lost Canadians" and War Bride children since 1947. Press release coming.

December 3, 2007 - Early Christmas present for Joe Taylor? Taylor confirms he has been offered citizenship by Citizenship and Immigration, but will changes to Citizenship Act stop him from going to Supreme Court? Find out more on December 5, 2007 when Committee on Citizenship and Immigration releases all committee report on Lost Canadians / War Brides.

December 3, 2007 - 'Lost Canadian' hopes new bill will fix dilemma, Draft legislation would help those affected by archaic citizenship laws, Richard Foot, The Ottawa Citizen.

November 29, 2007 - It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings. All party support for recommendations on Lost Canadians / War Brides at Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. Report due Wednesday, December 5, 2007.

November 9, 2007 - Lest We Forget War Brides and their kids, editorial in Vancouver Sun. Click here to read all the news about Joe Taylor's case.

November 2, 2007 - GOV'T INSULT to WAR BRIDES AND VETERANS. Federal Court of Appeal rules in government's favour, says War Bride children are not citizens. How are they going to explain that one to War Brides and veterans on the eve of Remembrance Day? Supreme Court of Canada, here we come! Click here to read the full 45 page decision. When the going gets tough, the tough get going!!

October 22, 2007 - UN Refugee Agency Report compares Canada's policy on War Brides and Lost Canadians to Vietnam and Zimbabwe! Click here to read the Canadian Press story. Lay down with dogs and you get up with fleas...

September 18-19, 2007 - Canadian gov't challenges War Bride citizenship in Vancouver courtroom. Canada's Immigration Dept. appeals Joe Taylor's 2006 BC Federal Court ruling granting citizenship to War Brides and children in spite of warning by Justice Martineau that the case has ramifications "beyond Joe Taylor."
> Read the official four page summary and / or full decision of Justice Martineau's Sept. 2006 decision on the Federal Court of Canada website.
> Click here to read Chapter 8, "War Bride Children" from Melynda Jarratt's new book War Brides: The stories of the women who left everything behind to follow the men they loved, which examines Joe Taylor's citizenship fight with the Canadian government and its implications for all Canadian War Brides and the children they brought with them to Canada at the end of WWII.
> Click here to read recent articles in the Toronto Sun, Vancouver Sun (Sept 15 and Sept 19) and the Edmonton Sun.

June 6, 2007 - 63 years ago today Joe Taylor's father stormed the beaches of Normandy in the D-Day landings. A month later, he found out his English girlfriend was pregnant but was refused "Permission to Marry" by his Commanding Officer. Joe Sr. continued to fight through France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. In February 1945 he was finally given leave to England where he married the mother of his then five month old son Joe Jr. Because Joe Jr. was "born out of wedlock" before January 1, 1947, he can't be a Canadian citizen according to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Diane Finley. Tell her you think that is WRONG and a violation of the Charter of Rights.

June 5, 2007 - More hearings in Ottawa on War Bride citizenship. Click here to view Standing Committee and senior officials of the Department, including two legal experts, giving evidence. Tune in on ParlVu (audio only) at 11:00 EDT. Continued discussion about Joe Taylor in the House of Commons in debates about Bill C-57, an amendment to the Citizenship Act to deal with strippers. The only people being "stripped" of their citizenship are War Bride children who were born out of wedlock before their parents married and Mennonites.

May 29, 2007 - Sorry Minister, but it's not good enough. Victory for Lost Canadians - and we are appreciative of that - but why leave Joe Taylor and the Mennonites behind? Minister Diane Finley announces proposed amendments to the Citizenship Act that will cover "most" of the Lost Canadian / War Bride issues except for Joe Taylor, and Mennonites because of the marital status provision of the 1947 Citizenship Act. We call that discrimination based on marital status, which is a contravention of the Charter of Rights and something which Canadians are not willing to put up with in the 21st century. Send an email to the Minister Diane Finley and tell her to give Joe Taylor and other "born out of wedlocks" like the Mennonites their citizenship!

May 29, 2007 - More hearings in Ottawa on War Bride Citizenship featuring three War Bride children who are facing citizenship difficulties and Melynda Jarratt, War Bride historian. Click here for more information.

Check out CBC's FEATURE section on Lost Canadians and War Brides.

Check out MP Andrew Telegdi's website and read all about Lost Canadians and War Bride children who are being stripped of their citizenship!

May 12-13, 2007 - Canadian War Museum - Bev Tosh's War Brides: Portraits of an Era is an exhibition organized by the Canadian War Museum in collaboration with Bev Tosh. Official "Welcome for War Brides" at 2 pm on May 13th. The exhibit will be presented in the Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae Gallery. For more information click here.

March 26, 2007 - Televised Parliamentary Hearings on Citizenship and Immigration of War Brides and their children. Click here for information on how to listen to the hearings LIVE on the internet. Click here to read the notice of hearing and list of speakers.

Click here to read the official presentation given at the Committee Hearings on March 19 by Erl Kish, Dominion Vice President, Royal Canadian Legion, in support of the citizenship of War Brides and their children. [PDF format]

March 24, Archival Documents from the wartime files of the Immigration Branch which show that War Brides and the children they brought with them to Canada between 1942 and 1948 are Canadian Citizens. Click here to view this treasure trove, including some particularly interesting correspondence between the then Ministers of Veterans Affairs, Trade and Commerce and Immigration Branch!

February 19 & 26, March 19-26, 2007 - Parliamentary Hearings on Citizenship and Immigration in Ottawa to include War Bride citizenship issue, for further information go to www.Telegdi.org

Feb 1 , 2007 - The Minister of Immigration takes War Brides to Court! Diane Finley responds to BC Federal Court ruling that says Joe Taylor is a Canadian citizen. Says she'll take Joe Taylor to the Supreme Court if she has to! Click here to read the Minister's response and her implied threat to Joe Taylor in Section 93!

Feb 1, 2007 - Read archival documents from the 1946 files of the Immigration Branch quoting the then Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Minister of Trade and Commerce and the Minister Responsible for Immigration stating unequivocably that War Brides are Citizens.

Jan 24, 2007 - Question: Are War Brides and the children they brought with them to Canada on the War Bride ships 61 years ago Canadian citizens? Answer: They would be if the Citizenship Act was Charter compliant! According to PC 7318 (page 1 and page 2) and PC 858 (page 1 and page 2) they are citizens. So why in heaven's name is the Harper government challenging the citizenship of so many War Bride children who were brought to this country as babies on board the War Bride ships?

Find out more about the ridiculous situation faced by War Bride child Joe Taylor here and read some of the archival documents that deal with War Bride citizenship during World War Two here.

Read the article by Peter Worthington in the January 24th Toronto Sun.

Download a petition to send to the Prime Minister at MP Andrew Telegdi’s website: www.telegdi.org

Jan 4, 2007 - New Book on Canadian War Brides: This is your chance to have your story appear in a new book by Melynda Jarratt about Canadian War Brides that will be published in England this summer by Tempus Publishing. Deadline for submission is February 15. For more information, click here or check out the What's New section.

November 10, 2006 - Opening of Museum exhibition "The War Brides of New Brunswick" at the York Sunbury Museum in Fredericton, NB. Click here for images of the opening.

A new book which features a fully researched chapter on Canadian War Brides is Voices of the Left Behind: Project Roots and the Canadian War Children of World War Two . Click here for more information about the book and how to purchase it through Dundurn Press.

This website was researched and developed by Canada's leading experts on War Brides as a gift to all Canadians - from war brides and their husbands, to their children and grandchildren, from students and researchers to writers and academics who are exploring this area of Canadian history for the first time. Because this is any entirely voluntary undertaking, we ask that you request permission to use any of the information found on this website as it is fully copyrighted .

If you're looking specifically for War Bride Passenger Lists , we recommend Debbie Beavis, a British researcher who has done a considerable amount of work in this area and is familiar with the War Bride story. Debbie can be contacted by email at marine@beavis.co.uk . Debbie also runs the War Bride Listserv .

If you're a filmmaker, researcher or writer with a burning question about the Canadian War Brides, or if you have an announcement to make about an upcoming book, film, or event in your community, you can contact us.

To mark the 60th anniversary of D-Day, we have a special section on a wonderful book called The Scarlet Dawn , which was written by Father Raymond Hickey, padre of the North Shore Regiment of New Brunswick. Father Hickey landed with his men of the North Shore at Saint Aubin sur Mer at 8:10 am, June 6, 1944.