79.6EM Emergency Resolution: Danger to Canadian Citizens – New Soviet Citizenship Law
Whereas, Mr. L. Brezhnev of the U.S.S.R., Supreme Soviet Presidium, and M. Georgadez, Secretary, signed in the Kremlin on December 1, 1978, a new Citizenship Law, which is to be effective as of July 1, 1979;
Whereas, Parts of the preamble to the new law have not been clarified. Especially troubling is the status of persons who were born in the U.S.S.R., after its formation in 1939, or its territories which became part of the U.S.S.R., and who emigrated before the implementation of the new law;
Whereas, Until the meanings have been clarified there is a danger that émigrés who were born on Soviet territories and who travel to the U.S.S.R. may find themselves treated as Soviet citizens even though they might hold Canadian citizenship; and
Whereas, This may contravene the Canadian Citizenship Act and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
therefore be it,
RESOLVED, That the National Council of Women of Canada request the Government of Canada to ensure the status of its Canadian citizens in objection to the Citizenship Law, which the U.S.S.R. has proclaimed and which comes into effect July 1, 1979; and
RESOLVED, That this resolution be forwarded to the International Council of Women’s next meeting (August 1979) for consideration.