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

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Judy

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She should be ok though .. she has to be living here for 2 years to get Cdn citizenship. Canada recognizes dual citizenship. She’s been training here for 2 years? 2023 and 2024? Next Olympics is 2026.
 
kwanfan1818

kwanfan1818

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Judy said:
She should be ok though .. she has to be living here for 2 years to get Cdn citizenship. Canada recognizes dual citizenship. She’s been training here for 2 years? 2023 and 2024? Next Olympics is 2026.
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Three out of five years of being physically resident from the time she became a Permanent Resident, unless she previously had the kind of visa that allowed her to count days from before she was a PR.

Then the processing time for the citizenship application.
 
J

Judy

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kwanfan1818 said:
Three out of five years of being physically resident from the time she became a Permanent Resident, unless she previously had the kind of visa that allowed her to count days from before she was a PR.

Then the processing time for the citizenship application.
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I’ll ask my friend how long it took for her husband to become a Canadian citizen .. I think 8 months. I only asked her before how long he had to live in Canada which was 2 years. That’s all I know about immigration.
 
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kwanfan1818

kwanfan1818

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The rules have changed quite a bit in the last 20 years, and average processing times on the CIC site fluctuate greatly. When I applied in the mid-00's, the processing time was over a year, but I was called for the ceremony in a little less than a year. Averages are just averages.
 
Sylvia

Sylvia

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Sylvia

Sylvia

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Relevant excerpt from Rob Brodie's Oct. 18, 2024 Substack article: https://rwbrodiewrites.substack.com/p/sci24-some-thoughts-on-the-road-to
One of the hot topics on Thursday [pre-Skate Canada Int'l media call] was the status of Stellato-Dudek’s bid to obtain her Canadian citizenship in time for Milan 2026, a must if she wants to represent the country at an Olympics. While it’s not quite a done deal yet, she said things are moving a little closer to the finish line. “What I'll say is … there have been new developments and things are moving in the right direction.” Though she didn’t want to say much more than that, she sounds confident the process will finish in time. And when that day comes, she’ll be eager to share it with the 10,000 or so people that signed a petition on change.org as a show of support. “I am going to make a public post because there’s been so many people who signed that petition for me. And I really appreciate that,” she said. “And I feel like I owe it to the people that signed the petition to kind of let them know”
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Sylvia

Sylvia

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Robert Brodie included another "Citizenship update" in his Oct. 24th Substack article (before the start of Skate Canada International in Halifax):
Her partner let the cat of the bag earlier this week in a French-language interview [Max's video, linked above], but Deanna Stellato-Dudek expanded Thursday on the status of her application for Canadian citizenship — something that will be required for she and Maxime Deschamps to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
“My citizenship attorney told me to start studying for the exam and they’ll contact me in three to four months to take it,” she said. “So I’m studying every day, because I have to pass on my first try. Otherwise, I get put back in the queue and then it could take months to take it again. So I have to pass it right away.”
That’s especially critical because there is one more step in the process — Stellato-Dudek needs a Canadian passport for Olympic purposes, and there’s another wait time involved there (as anyone who has applied for a passport no doubt knows). “All the processing for this stuff takes so long,” she said. “I need the passport in hand, because you need to write that information down on the form (for Olympic eligibility).”
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chewy

chewy

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barbk

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chewy said:
I was curious enough to look up the test. I am reading the official study guide. I’m sure she’ll do fine.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/citizenship-test.html

Here’s a practice test from the City of Toronto Library

Citizenship Test

Information about how to study for the Canadian Citizenship test.
www.torontopubliclibrary.ca www.torontopubliclibrary.ca
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That's a hoot. In the random selection of 10 questions, I got 8 right...need to work on memorizing the first lines of O Canada and figure out what the Battle of Vimy Ridge was.

Maybe that makes me an almost honorary Canadian?
 
Former Lurve Goddess

Former Lurve Goddess

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barbk said:
That's a hoot. In the random selection of 10 questions, I got 8 right...need to work on memorizing the first lines of O Canada and figure out what the Battle of Vimy Ridge was.

Maybe that makes me an almost honorary Canadian?
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You probably did better than many actual Canadians! Vimy Ridge was a pretty important WW1 battle that the Canadian forces engaged in. My grandfather was there. There's a pretty spectacular monument to it in France. Anyway, here's hoping that Deanna passes with flying colours.
 
Sylvia

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Canadian Press article yesterday - "World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek is becoming a Canadian citizen.
Stellato-Dudek will take the oath of citizenship on Wednesday in Montreal, after which she'll be eligible to represent Canada at the Olympic Games. [...] Stellato-Dudek said earlier this year she filed the necessary paperwork for Canadian citizenship. She also started an online petition that garnered nearly 10,000 signatures." https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/...nna-stellato-dudek-canadian-citizen-1.7407333

@danafan has posted the good news in the Canadian Pairs news thread - ETA link: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2024–25-canadian-pairs-news-and-updates.111810/page-3#post-6702376

Skate Canada press release today (Dec. 11, 2024):
skatecanada.ca

Pairs World Champions Open New Door for the Winter Olympic Games

MONTREAL, QC (December 11, 2024) – Earlier this morning, Pairs [...]
skatecanada.ca skatecanada.ca

MONTREAL, QC (December 11, 2024) – Earlier this morning, Pairs World Champion Deanna Stellato-Dudek took her Oath of Citizenship in Montreal surrounded by family and friends, formalizing her status as a Canadian citizen. This marks a significant milestone towards the team’s goal of qualifying for the Milan 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

“Taking the Oath of Citizenship in Canada is an overwhelming honor and I am filled with gratitude towards everyone who believed in me and helped me get here. I continue to be grateful to compete under the Canadian flag and anthem and can’t wait for my first international event as an official Canadian citizen with my partner Maxime,” said the Chicago native.

The former Junior women’s World medalist returned to the sport in 2016 after a 16-year hiatus, choosing to make the switch from singles to pair skating. Stellato-Dudek and partner Maxime Deschamps first started competing together in 2019 and have since reached national and international success, including countless medals on the Grand Prix circuit and titles at both the 2024 ISU Four Continents Championships and 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.

Stellato-Dudek’s newly acquired Canadian citizenship qualifies her to compete for Canada at the Olympics, in accordance with Rules 40 and 41 of the Olympic Charter, which require athletes to hold the nationality of the country represented by their National Olympic Committee (NOC). The pair will now be looking to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, set to take place in Milan, Italy in February 2026.

Congratulations, Deanna! :)
 
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Sylvia

Sylvia

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Deanna’s post just now: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDcjdSiyM7L/
With so much gratitude and pride I am happy to announce I have officially become a Canadian Citizen today. I am so incredibly happy and relieved that Maxime and I are free to realize our Olympic dreams!

I owe a huge thank you to @patrice__brunet @patricebrunetavocats @skate_canada and @patinageqc for all of your unwaivering support. I would also like to thank @theadultskater for starting the citizenship petition for me that created so much buzz. Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank everyone who took the time to sign the petition. You all made a difference for Maxime and I and we are both so grateful.🙏🏼🇨🇦💛
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ETA - 3 photos from Deanna’s virtual oath of citizenship earlier today:

Patinage Artistique Québec ⛸ on Instagram: "Félicitations Deanna! 🎉🇨🇦 La championne du monde de patinage artistique en couple est officiellement Canadienne! BIENVENUE CHEZ TOI ❤️🇨🇦"

671 likes, 7 comments - patinageqc on December 11, 2024: "Félicitations Deanna! 🎉🇨🇦 La championne du monde de patinage artistique en couple est officiellement Canadienne! BIENVENUE CHEZ TOI ❤️🇨🇦".
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
 
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Sylvia

Sylvia

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The Canadian Press' article by Daniel Rainbird today includes a photo of Deanna and her mother :):
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/...nna-stellato-dudek-canadian-citizen-1.7407333
Excerpts:
Deanna Stellato-Dudek is one step closer to her Olympic dream.
The world champion figure skater gained Canadian citizenship Wednesday, making her eligible to represent Canada at the Olympic Games.
"So much stress lifted, so much hard work rewarded," Stellato-Dudek said after taking the oath of citizenship in English and French at her lawyer's office. "Now I feel like Max and I, we're free to realize our Olympic dream."
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Stellato-Dudek's mother, Ann Stellato, attended the ceremony and wiped tears of joy from her cheeks while her daughter took the oath.
"She's worked so hard for this," Stellato said. "I know she's my daughter, but it's truly amazing. When she puts her mind to something, she gets it done."
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In January 2021, Stellato-Dudek retained Montreal-based lawyer Patrice Brunet to initiate the exceptional immigration process. They filed the citizenship application in May 2023 under section 5(4) of the Citizenship Act, which states the minister may grant citizenship to "reward services of exceptional value to Canada."
Brunet said there was a possibility it wouldn't work out.
"She had to continuously perform and increase her chances," he said. "We always had to show that she could be a podium potential for 2026."
Stellato-Dudek said that pressure weighed heavily on her mind during competitions the last few years.
"More than I could explain," she said. "There was always in the back of my mind doing things to try to pad my resume or my curriculum vitae to be as attractive as possible to the Government of Canada."
Brunet believes last season's world championship gold on home soil pushed the application over the finish line.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, congratulating the pair.
"How much more can you have in terms of evidence of contributing to Canada when the Prime Minister recognizes it and congratulates you?" Brunet said. "If they had performed just average, it would have been challenging for her to get citizenship."
An online petition to raise awareness for Stellato-Dudek's citizenship also garnered nearly 10,000 signatures.
"It's a big relief," Deschamps said. "It was a big hurdle on our way to the Olympics, and now that's just out of the way. We can really concentrate only on training, skating and competing."
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ETA link to the Associated Press' article by Dave Skretta:
apnews.com

US-born pairs skater Stellato-Dudek becomes Canadian citizen, clearing the way for Milan Olympics

World pairs champion Deanna Stellato-Dudek has become a Canadian citizen. That clears the way for the American-born figure skater to compete with longtime partner Maxime Deschamps at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
apnews.com apnews.com
 
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Sylvia

Sylvia

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Sylvia

Sylvia

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Article by Lori Ewing (previously covered figure skating for The Canadian Press and now is based in Manchester, England) for Reuters yesterday: https://www.reuters.com/sports/stel...mpics-after-receiving-citizenship-2024-12-11/
Another link (same article):
ca.news.yahoo.com

Figure skating-Stellato-Dudek can compete for Canada at Milan Olympics after receiving citizenship

World figure skating champion Deanna Stellato-Dudek became a Canadian citizen on Wednesday, making the Chicago native and her pairs partner Maxime Deschamps eligible to compete for Canada at the 2026 Milan Olympics. Stellato-Dudek became the oldest female figure skater at age 40 to win a world...
ca.news.yahoo.com ca.news.yahoo.com
Her mother Ann cried during Wednesday's ceremony.
"I think she feels the way I do, in that this is such a huge stress lifted and now we can do what we do best which is work really hard to be as ready as possible to make Canada and ourselves proud," Stellato-Dudek said. "So I think she was crying from relief."
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This quote is near the end of the 7-minute video linked in the French article above.
 
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LilJen

LilJen

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chewy said:
I was curious enough to look up the test. I am reading the official study guide. I’m sure she’ll do fine.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/citizenship-test.html

Here’s a practice test from the City of Toronto Library

Citizenship Test

Information about how to study for the Canadian Citizenship test.
www.torontopubliclibrary.ca www.torontopubliclibrary.ca
Click to expand...
Yeah I got 48 of 60 and I’m a US citizen…

Congratulations to Deanna!!!! (Wonder how her husband is feeling about it all?)
 
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Excidra

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Congratulations Deanna on becoming a Canadian citizen. I became a Canadian citizen many years ago and the gratitude I have for my adopted country will aways remain.

The last time Canada had an Olympic gold medal contenders in pairs was in 2002. I am super stoked to see that we are in it for the gold again. I will be cheering, as I have been since Deanna and Maxim became a pair, for Team Canada but especially for Deanna and Maxim.
 
J

Judy

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Excidra said:
Congratulations Deanna on becoming a Canadian citizen. I became a Canadian citizen many years ago and the gratitude I have for my adopted country will aways remain.

The last time Canada had an Olympic gold medal contenders in pairs was in 2002. I am super stoked to see that we are in it for the gold again. I will be cheering, as I have been since Deanna and Maxim became a pair, for Team Canada but especially for Deanna and Maxim.
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Which country did you leave?
 
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