And that is a major point. Who will be the mother of Mader’s children? How does her citizenship or identity play into the children? What if she’s a dual citizen?

Furthering this, What if two dual citizen parents marry and have children? Are the children entitled to 4 citizenships?

I understand its complicated, and that the more we try to define these things in law, the squirrlier it gets. Take Mader, under my definition he might not be Canadian anymore. I suspect he’d strongly object to that. Not that he need feel offended. Heck, my sister took advantage of my father’s Dutch birthright and became a Dutch citizen. She used that to get into the EU so she could live in England. I now no longer consider her Canadian. She’s a European now in my books. What she calls herself, I have no idea.

I like to keep things simple, and clear cut. I don’t agree that birth guarantees citizenship forever (I’m obviously in a small,very small, minority).

“Being a citizen isn’t a right.”

But for some it is. Anyone born in Canada has the right to Canadian citizenship, it can’t be taken away. And once granted by birth, the obligations, if one wants, are pretty minimal.

Your identity may be a choice for you, but it is more limited for others, and it may be even more limited for you than you realize.

It would probably be difficult for you to “choose” a Russian or Chinese identity for example.

Also, I think most people feel much more strongly than you seem to, that their identity was at least in part determined by their parents and grandparents. If a children are raised by their parents, their culture, values, ideas, teachings cannot help but have an impact on their children’s identities. Of course my kids will be different than me, but I would be pretty disappointed if they didn’t also carry on part of the identity I impart to them.

And even in your case your identity has been determined by your parents and grandparents. Your grandparents chose to move to Canada. Your father chose to stay here. Had they chosen another country – America, England, Netherlands – would you have been as likely to choose Canada? Did you father not instill in you some sense of pride and identity in being Canadian?

As you say, identity and citizenship are indeed two different things. What I think is interesting is whether one could hold a strong Canadian identity without holding Canadian citizenship.

I see them as two separate things. What my identity is, is a personal choice. Its not something that my parents can tell me. As I pointed out, I have a choice of identities if I wanted to.

I strongly believe that citizenship should have some sort of residency or service requirement. Being a citizen isn’t a right – its a privilege, and a citizen has responsibilities to the state that granted that citizenship.

Can I say that, if my children aren’t citizens? If they never vote, or expect to vote, or pay tax? If they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America? Can my kids be Canadian, even if they aren’t Canadian citizens?”

I would hope that you could say this, I would very much like that to be possible.

This piece has me wondering how much it is possible to separate a Canadian identity from Canadian citizenship? How much is the later a requirement of the former? I suspect most people, like Catelli, consider it to be very much necessary.

Almost by definition, national identities cannot transcend citizenship – that is arguably their defining feature. Unlike ethnic, linguistic, or religious identities, which regularly transcend borders, national identities are generally defined by them.

Look at Catelli’s comment above – the only real definition he provides of why he is Canadian is because it was where he was born and where he has chosen to live. I’m sure there are many other things that are part of his Canadian identity, but these were the two things he cited first, and I would bet, if asked, “what makes you Canadian?” most Canadians would answer similarly, “because I was born here” or “because I live here.”

I wonder if the Canadian identity is resilient enough that there could be people who identify as Canadian as a result of inheritance of that identity and culture through their parents without having been born or ever living in Canada?

I would like to see that be true.

Can I say that, if my children aren’t citizens? If they never vote, or expect to vote, or pay tax? If they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America? Can my kids be Canadian, even if they aren’t Canadian citizens?

To be blunt, no you can’t. However, you can make them aware of their heritage. If they wish to become Canadian, they (or you) can move here and make it reality.

As I commented last time, my Dad was born in the Netherlands, and his parents immigrated when he was quite young. My Dad has very much adopted this country and considers himself Canadian. His (and my) heritage obviously have Dutch influences. Its something I wouldn’t mind investigating sometime. But I am not Dutch.

On my mothers side, her mother was Newfie (from before it joined Canada) and her father was partly Native American.

So am I a Dutch-Native American-Newfie? Not at all. they are all part of my heritage.

But I am 100% Canadian because it is where I was born, but more importantly where I choose to make my home.

If your wife is full-blood American (or Mexican or Japanese), then will you still call your kids Canadians?

Identity isn’t where your parents are from, its what you choose for yourself. You can no more tell your kids that they are Canadian then my Dad can tell me I’m a Dutchmen.

By all means tell them about Canada (and the US and Texas). Share who you are, where you’ve been and what it means to you.

But let them decide who and what they want to be.