'Lost' Canadian trapped in obscure citizenship rules

A Dartmouth woman says her mother has been left out of a federal plan to restore citizenship tothe "Lost Canadians."

The federal government announced Tuesday it would bring in legislation to helppeople who were born in Canada or born to Canadian parents and who lost their Canadian status because of quirks in the 1947 Citizenship Act.

But it will only cover those who were born on or after Jan. 1, 1947.

That leaves out Marion Galbraith, the child of a British war bride who came to Canada as a young girl in August 1946.

"My mother's situation would not be helped," Lisa Cochrane told CBC News Wednesday.

Galbraithhas lived in Nova Scotia for more than 60 years and votedin countless elections. Herfather and grandfather fought forCanada during the two world wars.

She was planning a trip to England this June for a family reunion, butfound out this spring that she was not a Canadian citizen and therefore not eligible for a Canadian passport.

Cochrane said her motherhas been told that her citizenship was taken away in error, but it's unclear when she will receive papers stating that she is Canadian.

Earlier this year, a CBC News investigation found that the provisions of the Act could affect more than 200,000 people. However, thegovernment says it is aware of about 450 cases of people who have lost their citizenship.