Please consider signing this petition to help Deanna Stellato-Dudek obtain Canadian citizenship sooner rather than later

[Sylvia]

Please consider supporting Deanna Stellato-Dudek in her quest for obtaining Canadian citizenship -- sooner rather than later -- so she can become eligible to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in pairs figure skating with Maxime Deschamps (started on April 15, 2024 on Change.org):

9,834 people signed and won this petition

Give Deanna Stellato-Dudek Canadian citizenship to compete at Olympics 2026 with Maxime

www.change.org

2,475 people have signed so far!

 

[Sylvia]

March 22, 2024 (ICYMI):

https://twitter.com/x/status/1771298168375755152

Deanna & Max made a guest appearance on the popular Quebec talk show "Toute le monde en parle" / "Everyone's Talking About It" on April 14 (https://twitter.com/OFF_TLMEP/status/1779688485600813428) and Deanna made her own request in French!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1779916643205804089

ETA another clip from the talk show:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Copying over from the Canadian Pairs news thread (merci beaucoup, @Desperado!):

Just watched Deanna and Max on Tout le monde en parle. They both looked gorgeous and I never saw Deanna smile so much in a 10 minute span.

She spoke French mixing English in a very Montreal way. Maxime only had to help her once.

Following a question about her citizenship she said she would hate to have Maxime miss the Olympics because of her.

And she turned to the camera and asked Justin Trudeau to get things going for her in a lovely way.

TLMEP is huge in the province and I’m pretty sure D&M gained tons of Québécois supporters tonight, many who never even watched figure skating.

Maxime is a longtime Montreal Canadiens fan and said he was super happy to skate in the same amphitheater they play in. The host hit back with “you won more than them too”, the team is in disarray agin this year so laughter ensued.

The other laugh was about the host asking if a skating partnership offers the same challenges as a romantic relationship and Maxime enthusiastically said yes, that at the beginning it’s the honeymoon phase, then arguments arise.

The host asked: “how many years did the honeymoon phase last?” both Deanna and Maxime laughed saying “not years, months” pretty sure they were thinking “weeks” but chose to be generous.

 

[SkateGuard]

Signed! I don't think it could hurt for the petition organizers to send along a copy to whoever Deanna's MP is.

Petitions don't always spark change put they do spark awareness. I really hope that Deanna gets her citizenship. She's a wonderful Ambassador for Canadian figure skating and deserves to have her citizenship and that Olympic moment.

 

[caseyedwards]

United States rushed to give Belbin American citizenship! Canada should do same

 

[marbri]

Signed! I don't think it could hurt for the petition organizers to send along a copy to whoever Deanna's MP is.

Petitions don't always spark change put they do spark awareness. I really hope that Deanna gets her citizenship. She's a wonderful Ambassador for Canadian figure skating and deserves to have her citizenship and that Olympic moment.

MP is definitely the way to go based on past cases.

 

[skatingguy]

United States rushed to give Belbin American citizenship! Canada should do same

Allowing them to compete at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

 

[Tesla]

United States rushed to give Belbin American citizenship! Canada should do same

No, they didn’t. They fixed an issue where she would’ve gotten her citizenship after people who started the process after her.

 

[caseyedwards]

CRAWFORD, Texas -- Ice dancing champion Tanith Belbin will become a U.S. citizen Saturday, one day after President Bush signed an appropriations bill speeding up the process.

A provision of the bill allows Belbin, who is from Canada, to immediately gain U.S. citizenship. She will be sworn in at an immigration center in Detroit.

 

[Debbie S]

No, they didn’t. They fixed an issue where she would’ve gotten her citizenship after people who started the process after her.

And it was 2006, not 2002. Tanith had lived in the U.S. for 7 years (5 is the min req for citizenship).

 

[Sylvia]

Associated Press article (Dec. 31, 2005):

Ice dancing champion Belbin sworn in as U.S. citizen

Ice dancing champion Tanith Belbin can celebrate the new year as an American.

www.espn.com

Born in Canada, the 21-year-old has lived in the Detroit area since 1998. Her immigrant worker visa was approved in 2000, but she didn't receive her green card until July 2002 because of immigration rules at the time. A five-year waiting period typically follows, meaning she wouldn't have gained citizenship until 2007. [...]
Under the measure signed by Bush on Friday, Belbin and other people "of extraordinary ability" are allowed to take advantage of changes in immigration rules that speed up the process. Since 2002, individuals like Belbin have been allowed to apply for a green card and visa at the same time, rather than waiting 18 to 24 months.
The new measure shortens the residency requirement from five to three years between the receipt of the green card and the date of their eligibility for naturalization. It applies to those who began their naturalization process before July 2002.

ETA - Deanna petition update:

3,226 Signatures obtained; Next Goal: 5,000
962 people signed today

 

[Carolla5501]

Just out of curiosity, if you’re not Canadian, do you think it does any good to sign?

 

[zigzig]

I love her Frenglish - so cute!

 

[Private Citizen]

Curious if Canadians are too nice or if we’ll have a Galler-Rabinowitz and Mitchell (or Punsalan and Swallow) equivalent who launches a position to stop it.

 

[BittyBug]

I was waiting for someone to bring out that icon.

 

[marbri]

I signed it for Max. I don't think it would hurt for the person who started the petition to make it a bit more about him as well because I think that might get a few more signatures from people that won't sign it just for an American who wants to go to the Olympics. Max has a good story as well and they should play that up more and make it obvious to non figure skating fans that might come across this that this is also the opportunity for a French Canadian man who never gave up and is also very involved with giving back to young people coming up in this sport.

You have to get the Canadians who aren't fussed with Deanna's story to sign it for Max. For Max to go to the Olympics he needs Deanna to get citizenship. Give that equal billing and you will get more signatures.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

I signed it for Max. I don't think it would hurt for the person who started the petition to make it a bit more about him as well because I think that might get a few more signatures from people that won't sign it just for an American who wants to go to the Olympics. Max has a good story as well and they should play that up more and make it obvious to non figure skating fans that might come across this that this is also the opportunity for a French Canadian man who never gave up and is also very involved with giving back to young people coming up in this sport.

You have to get the Canadians who aren't fussed with Deanna's story to sign it for Max. For Max to go to the Olympics he needs Deanna to get citizenship. Give that equal billing and you will get more signatures.

This! Also, it would really help to know who Deanna's and Max's MP is (could be two different MPs). I signed the petition but didn't think it was written in a particularly effective way.

 

[Alilou]

Just out of curiosity, if you’re not Canadian, do you think it does any good to sign?

Yes! Anyone can sign.

 

[Jammers]

No, they didn’t. They fixed an issue where she would’ve gotten her citizenship after people who started the process after her.

Yeah Tanith was looking to get screwed over again with not having US citizenship for a 2nd straight Olympics despite living in the US for nearly 8 years. She should never have to had President Bush get involved. She did everything by the rules and they were still dragging their feet until Bush stepped in.

 

[SkateGuard]

Over 1000 new signatures today!

 

[Sylvia]

By Gabriel Duhamel:

La citoyenneté canadienne de Deanna Stellato-Dudek

Le rêve olympique de la patineuse artistique et de son partenaire est entre les mains du ministre de l'Immigration du Canada, Marc Miller.

ici.radio-canada.ca

Translated excerpts:

Stellato-Dudek, a native of Chicago, has lived in Canada since 2019. She has already obtained her Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) and permanent residency, but she must be a Canadian citizen in order to represent the country at Milan-Cortina in 2026, according to rule 41 of the Olympic Charter.
The very recent obtaining of her permanent residence jeopardizes this objective, which could well be a unique opportunity for the 40-year-old skater, who returned to competition in 2016 after 16 years of absence. A discretionary exemption from the federal Minister of Immigration, Marc Miller, is the only possible avenue.

This appeal to the Prime Minister, in front of 742,000 viewers, did not go unnoticed. On Monday, a petition was launched by a citizen and had 2,400 signatories as of Wednesday. A gesture among many others which could allow Stellato-Dudek to strengthen a candidacy requiring an extraordinary contribution according to her lawyer, Me Patrice Brunet.
She is a model of inspiration for young and old that when you set a dream, you are capable of achieving it when you give yourself the means, he emphasizes. We are asking the Canadian government to recognize this. It is consistent with Canadian values of surpassing oneself, setting a dream and achieving it. In this sense, if we can demonstrate to the minister that the population is behind her, it will be one more element to help her.

A first request, considered too hasty, was sent to the ministry six months ago. Now that the duo are world champions, Me Brunet saw fit to reiterate it, pleading that to ensure peace of mind during their preparation for the Olympic Games, the process must be completed some time before arrival in Milan-Cortina. He will meet Marc Miller towards the end of the week for this purpose.
Peace of mind is as important as performance. In fact, it is associated with performance. And performance is not once a year or once every four years, it is every day in training, the lawyer points out.

The reiteration of the request after the conquest of the world title, he admits, is not a coincidence.
This is a determining element which is important to demonstrate that it will not be given to someone who will not perform well afterwards, says Me Brunet. [Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps] have proven that they can perform at the highest level. And everyone involved in professional figure skating agrees that they are a medal hopeful.

 

[Alilou]

This is a hopeful sign that her lawyer has a meeting with the Minister of Immigration.

 

[Sylvia]

Hey, FSU made it into this video yesterday!

Instagram

www.instagram.com

 

[skatingguy]

Hey, FSU made it into this video yesterday!

Instagram

www.instagram.com

I think @Sylvia made it into that video - credit where credit is due.

 

[marbri]

By Gabriel Duhamel:

La citoyenneté canadienne de Deanna Stellato-Dudek

Le rêve olympique de la patineuse artistique et de son partenaire est entre les mains du ministre de l'Immigration du Canada, Marc Miller.

ici.radio-canada.ca

Translated excerpts:

Some more details there. So she is quite far back in the process if she only JUST got her PR status. A bit more dire than I thought. Good luck to them.

 

[On My Own]

Hey, FSU made it into this video yesterday!

Instagram

www.instagram.com

Good for you Sylvia ruh

 

[overedge]

I signed it for Max. I don't think it would hurt for the person who started the petition to make it a bit more about him as well because I think that might get a few more signatures from people that won't sign it just for an American who wants to go to the Olympics. Max has a good story as well and they should play that up more and make it obvious to non figure skating fans that might come across this that this is also the opportunity for a French Canadian man who never gave up and is also very involved with giving back to young people coming up in this sport.

He gives back to skaters of all ages. He also coaches adults.

 

[SkateGuard]

The petition has now reached over 7000 signatures and those who signed are being encouraged to write a letter to their Member of Parliament. The petition provides some wonderful resources on best practices for crafting letters to MP's.

I wrote my letter to Andy Fillmore this morning! If anyone would like a copy to tweak and personalize to send to your own MP, let me know and I'd be happy to email it to you.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

The petition has now reached over 7000 signatures and those who signed are being encouraged to write a letter to their Member of Parliament. The petition provides some wonderful resources on best practices for crafting letters to MP's.

I wrote my letter to Andy Fillmore this morning! If anyone would like a copy to tweak and personalize to send to your own MP, let me know and I'd be happy to email it to you.

Since the deputy PM Chrystia Freehand is my MP, I will also write to her. Might need to mention that my other half is Ukrainian-Canadian and send a pic of my nonagenarian father with the Prime Minister to emphasize the point.

 

[Sylvia]

9,522 signatures as of today (May 3).

I signed it for Max. I don't think it would hurt for the person who started the petition to make it a bit more about him as well because I think that might get a few more signatures from people that won't sign it just for an American who wants to go to the Olympics. Max has a good story as well and they should play that up more and make it obvious to non figure skating fans that might come across this that this is also the opportunity for a French Canadian man who never gave up and is also very involved with giving back to young people coming up in this sport.

You have to get the Canadians who aren't fussed with Deanna's story to sign it for Max. For Max to go to the Olympics he needs Deanna to get citizenship. Give that equal billing and you will get more signatures.

Posted earlier today: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6fyN0ou00w/

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Judy]

I’m not 100% sure the PM can interfere with this though. I’m pretty sure he can’t.

The only time I remember him kinda interfering is with in 2015 with the Syrian refugees which was a campaign promise (we actually ended up with around 40K coming). https://globalnews.ca/news/2307118/...-canada-by-jan-1-not-realistic-say-advocates/

The jan 1st wasn’t realistic btw I knew there would be a lot involved. Maybe Freeland is the best person to ask though. I used to know someone in Immigration but no longer in touch and I doubt he’d know. My niece is married to an MP but 100% he wouldn’t know as he San mp for western province.

Online petitions are meaningless though.

That’s all I know which isn’t much.