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Title: Letter accompanying Certificate of Canadian Citizenship for Marguerite Lim Dayton
Date: Unknown
Donor: Woo, Joanne
Subject: Citizenship and Civil Rights
Province: Alberta
Language: ENG

Woo, Joanne

Joanne Woo’s family has a long history in Calgary, Alberta. Her paternal grandfather, Lim Soon, came to Canada in 1900. His wife, Mrs. Lim Soon Dayton (Wong Shee), arrived in 1923 on the last boat to bring Chinese immigrants to Canada before The Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 came into effect, bringing about the Exclusion Period (1923-1947). The family adopted the name Dayton, after the restaurant-turned-store they operated in Calgary. The Lim Daytons’ son, William, married Marguerite Lim Dayton (née Wong) in 1939. Marguerite was responsible for operating the family grocery business along with raising three children, including Joanne. Encouraged to pursue an education by her parents, Joanne entered Business College for secretarial training. She became the first secretary of the Board of Directors of the Sien Lok Society, and has remained active in the organization ever since.

This letter accompanies Marguerite Lim Dayton’s Canadian Citizenship Certificate, which was granted to her on April 9, 1952. According to Canadian nationality law at the time, Marguerite lost her Canadian citizenship when she married William Lim Dayton, who was born in China. Both William and Marguerite were granted full citizenship in 1952.