[oclug] Proposed Amendments

[Bill Strosberg]

Peter Sjoberg wrote:

> I have a problem to see what citizenship has to do with wested interest
> in Linux, Free software etc? 
> I have lived in Canada for 10 years but I'm not a Canadian citizen,
> landed immigrant is enough for me. To become Canadian citizen I would
> have to give up my Swedish citizenship and there by my access to EU if I
> would like to go there and work in 10 years. I haven't seen much
> advantage in having a Canadian citizenship so I don't know why I must
> have it and be board electable is not good enough.

Actually Peter, Canada does _not_ require you give up citizenship in 
your previous country.  I hold dual citizenship, including two 
passports, two registrations for social insurance/security etc.  I 
report taxes in both countries, but only pay in Canada, the country of 
my residence.  You would have to consult with a tax/immigration 
specialist from your home country to verify your obligations.

Canadian citizenship is quite an asset when travelling many places in 
the world, or transacting business.  Canadians are widely regarded as 
the most worldly, tolerant and reasonable people from North America.

Landed immmigrant status is becoming a problem when travelling between 
Canada and the US.  My father is a landed immgrant American (who has 
lived in Canada for over thirty years) and he recently indicated he was 
going to take out Canadian citizenship due to border crossing problems. 
  Perhaps you are accustomed to more complex border crossing issues than 
my Dad, but Homeland Security driven paranoia and our good buddy Lou 
Dobbs the king xenophobe of CNN are changing our simple border into a 
Checkpoint Charlie experience.

--
Bill Strosberg