Present:
The Prime Minister (Mr. Diefenbaker) in the Chair,
The Minister of Public Works (Mr. Green),
The Minister of Transport (Mr. Hees),
The Solicitor General (Mr. Balcer),
The Minister of Trade and Commerce (Mr. Churchill),
The Minister of Justice (Mr. Fulton),
The Minister of National Revenue (Mr. Nowlan),
The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Harkness),
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (Mrs. Fairclough),
The Minister of Fisheries (Mr. MacLean),
The Minister of Labour (Mr. Starr),
The Postmaster General (Mr. William Hamilton),
The Minister without Portfolio (Mr. Macdonnell),
The Minister without Portfolio (Mr. Browne),
The Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys (Mr. Comtois),
The Minister of National Health and Welfare (Mr. Monteith),
The Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources (Mr. Alvin Hamilton),
The Secretary of State (Mr. Courtemanche).
The Secretary to the Cabinet (Mr. Bryce),
The Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet (Mr. Martin).

CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP ACT; CANADIANS OF JAPANESE EXTRACTION WHO WERE REPATRIATED TO JAPAN AND HAVE SINCE RETURNED TO CANADA

11. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration said that, during World War II and shortly afterwards, a number of Canadians of Japanese extraction were repatriated to Japan and ceased to be British subjects. The group included British subjects by birth and by naturalization.

The Citizenship Act provided that aliens wishing to acquire Canadian citizenship had to be domiciled in Canada for five years. However, another special provision, introduced after the act had first been passed, enabled the Minister to grant citizenship after residence of one year, provided certain conditions were met, to persons who had formerly been Canadian citizens or British subjects by birth or naturalization and who had lost either status for a reason other than marriage.

Representations had been received that those who had lost their status upon repatriation to Japan should be able to acquire citizenship after one year's residence in Canada. It was questionable whether this provision had been intended to apply to such a group. A decision was required as to whether citizenship should be granted in the usual way after a residence of five years or under the special provision of one year's residence.

An explanatory memorandum had been circulated, (Minister's memorandum, Oct. 3, Cab. Doc. 306-58).†

12. During the discussion it was pointed out that giving citizenship to these people after one year's residence would re-open old controversies. While Canadian conduct during the war years towards residents of Japanese extraction had left much to be desired, the group in question had departed voluntarily. Granting special treatment on citizenship might lead to embarrassing demands for restitution of property they once possessed. Persons who had returned to Germany had to wait for five years.

13. The Cabinet agreed that no special provisions be used for granting citizenship to Canadians of Japanese extraction who had been repatriated to Japan and who had since returned; they should be required to wait for five years and apply for citizenship in the normal way under Section 10 (1) of the Citizenship Act.