Thank you for Jenny Uechi's March 17 Zeit Gist article, "Canucks abroad fret over new curbs on citizenship." I have been monitoring this issue for about six months, and Uechi's article might be the best in the past six months.

I was surprised to read that some people are not satisfied that only the first generation born outside Canada are citizens, and are demanding that the second and third generation born outside Canada also be eligible. The proposed law was posted in a national gazette for a month — during which time interested parties could send inquiries — so I am surprised that people are saying they had no chance to debate the law.

Although I have second-generation children born outside Canada who are not automatically granted citizenship under the law, I consider it manna from heaven that I should be able to claim citizenship in a second country beginning next month.

By the way, one of the people quoted in the article stated American law incorrectly. There is no residency requirement for a woman to have her child born an American citizen. An illegal alien who sneaks across the border into the United States and gives birth in an American hospital gets citizenship for the baby.

george lucas