July 22, 1965 - Ernest and Cornelia Bergsma

Ontario Court of Appeal grants citizenship to Dutch atheists Ernest and Cornelia Bergsma. Dutch immigrants Ernest and Cornelia Bergsma had been living in Canada for nine years when they applied to become Canadian citizens. At their hearing, the judge told them that Canada was a Christian country and asked them if they believed in God. When Ernest answered “I don’t,” the judge refused them citizenship. He felt that the oath of allegiance to Canada and its queen – an oath that ends with “so help me God” – was meaningless if citizens did not follow a religion. The judge said, “The things that we believe in in this country stand for Christianity – being honest and being kind – believing in Christ's teachings.” The Bergsmas challenged the judge’s decision successfully. On July 22, 1965, the Ontario Court of Appeal ordered the citizenship court to grant the Bergsmas certificates of citizenship, as they had been denied them solely for their lack of religious beliefs. The court ruled that honest citizens unwilling to swear the oath due to "conscientious scruples" could instead provide an affirmation and that the oath should be given a liberal interpretation.

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