I Think I Might Be Canadian… And You Could Be Too

Part 1 of My Canadian Citizenship Journey

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It started with a casual question.

I’d been reading about a new Canadian law making headlines, one suggesting some people with Canadian ancestry may qualify for Canadian citizenship by descent. The idea was intriguing enough that I started digging.

So I did what any curious person does at 9:30 on a Friday night. I went down a rabbit hole.

What I found stopped me in my tracks.

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A Law That Changed Everything

In December 2025, Canada passed Bill C-3, nicknamed the Lost Canadians Act. And it’s a big deal.

Here’s the simple version: Canada used to limit citizenship by descent to just one generation. That meant if your parent was born in Canada, but you weren’t, you could claim Canadian citizenship. But if your grandparent was born there and your parent wasn’t? The chain stopped.

Bill C-3 changed all of that.

Now, anyone born before December 15, 2025, who can trace an unbroken line of descent to a Canadian-born ancestor, whether that’s a grandparent, great-grandparent, or even further back, may already qualify as a Canadian citizen by descent, subject to confirming eligibility under the law. You need to apply for your certificate to make it official.

That’s not applying for citizenship. That’s proving citizenship, you’ve apparently had your whole life.

When I read that, I thought, wait. I have Canadian ancestry. My great-grandfather was born in Canada.

And that’s when I opened up my old Ancestry account.

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Dusting Off 30 Years of Research

About 30 years ago, I was deep into genealogy research. We’re talking the old-school kind, mailing letters to courthouses and vital records offices, waiting weeks for replies, carefully entering everything by hand. It was slow, painstaking work. And I absolutely loved every minute of it.

Eventually, I transferred everything to Ancestry.com, and life moved on.

But that research was sitting there waiting for me. And what I found tonight genuinely gave me chills.

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Meet Abraham Peter Holm

My great-grandfather’s name was Abraham Peter Holm. Born March 1, 1838. In Canada.

There he was in the 1880 United States Federal Census, listed in:

Motley, Morrison County, Minnesota. Age 42. Birthplace: Canada. And right there next to Father’s Birthplace, also Canada.

That last detail made me sit up straighter.

So I kept digging.

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And His Father, Henry Holm

The 1860 United States Federal Census showed me Henry Holm, age 54, born approximately 1806. Birthplace: Canada. Living in Winneshiek County, Iowa, with his wife, Elizabeth.

Interesting. But I needed more.

Then I found it a Find a Grave record that made everything click into place.

Henry Holm. Born June 13, 1806. Waterloo, Waterloo Regional Municipality, Ontario, Canada.

A specific date. A specific city. Ontario.

I had my anchor.

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The Moment Everything Connected

Here’s where the story gets personal.

On Abraham Peter Holm’s Find a Grave memorial, I found his family listed. His father: Henry Holm. His mother: Elizabeth Holm. His spouse: Rhoda Adelia Holm.

And his children: Millard William Holm. Emma Drake.

And Maude Marks.

Maude Marks is my paternal grandmother.

I sat there staring at my screen for a long moment. Because the Marks name, the name I recently reverted to legally, has been running through this family for generations. And it just led me straight back to Waterloo, Ontario, in 1806.

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My Complete Chain

Here’s what I documented on one Friday evening:

• Henry Holm: Born June 13, 1806, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada ✓
• Abraham Peter Holm: Born March 1, 1838, Canada ✓ (Henry’s son)
• Maude Marks: Abraham’s daughter, my grandmother ✓
• My father: Maude’s son ✓
• Me ✓

Under Bill C-3, that unbroken line means I may already be a Canadian citizen. I just need to prove it.

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Could You Qualify for Canadian Citizenship by Descent?

Here’s what I want you to take away from this, especially if you’re anywhere near my age and have Canadian ancestry somewhere in your family tree.

That genealogy research you did years ago? Dust it off.

That Ancestry account you haven’t logged into since 2008? Log back in.

Because the hints Ancestry has added in the past 20 years are remarkable. Records that didn’t exist online back then are fully searchable now. And what felt like casual family history research may turn out to be something much more significant.

A few places to start if you want to explore your own Canadian roots:

• Ancestry.com: Search your family tree for Canadian birthplaces in census records
• FamilySearch.org: Free, and has extensive Canadian church and census records
• FindAGrave.com: Free, and often lists specific birthplaces, including Canadian provinces
• Library and Archives Canada: bac-lac.gc.ca for historical Canadian records
• Canada.ca: The official government page explaining Bill C-3 and how to check eligibility

If you’re just getting started, my guide with tips and resources for researching your family history can help you begin uncovering your own roots.

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What’s Next For Me

I’m not done yet, not by a long shot. I still need to:

• Pull together all my documentation into one organized file
• Consult with a Canadian immigration attorney to evaluate my Canadian citizenship by descent claim.
• Navigate the actual citizenship certificate application process
• Wait (currently about 10 months for processing!)

And I’m going to bring you along for every step of it.

Because here’s the thing: if a Friday night rabbit hole led me from casual curiosity to a potentially complete citizenship claim in under an hour, I have a feeling others may discover they qualify for Canadian citizenship by descent and not even realize it.

Stay tuned. This is just getting started. 🍁

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Next in the series: How to Research Your Canadian Ancestry: A Step-by-Step Guide