Canadian citizenship rules face broad reform in 2014 – CBC News

Minister Alexander does some pre-messaging on what’s in, what’s out in the upcoming revisions to The Citizenship Act, expected to be tabled shortly in Parliament.

What’s in:

• Further measures to reduce some of the remaining gaps in “lost Canadians”, Canadians who lost their citizenship due (i.e., personal circumstances before 1947 when Canadian citizenship was introduced such as war brides);
• Providing an exemption (likely) for the children of those born abroad to Canadian government personnel to the second generation limit;
• Similar provisions to Britain (and likely coming to Australia) stripping citizens of citizenship involved in terrorism abroad (Australians fighting in Syria could lose citizenship, British fighters in Syria stripped of UK citizenship);
• Inclusion of some elements, not specified, of Devinder Shory, Conservative MP’s bill, stripping Canadian citizenship of those “engaged in an act of war against the Canadian Forces”, and reducing residency requirements by one year for those signing up to the Forces (US has some similar provisions;
• Longer residency requirements and making it clear that physical presence is required, combined with a promise of shorter wait times (but no service standards or published statistics to ensure accountability); and,
• Other unspecified integrity measures.

What’s not:

• Change in jus soli (automatic citizenship to those born in Canada). While the Minister indicated ongoing concern about “passport babies”, and said CIC is still working on the issue, too complex given the implication for the provinces and vital stats agencies to propose something concrete now. There was never any hard evidence on the extent of “passport babies” (i.e., data from health ministries on number of babies born whose parents did not have healthcare); rather the government relied on anecdotes, albeit informed by formal consultations.

Canadian citizenship rules face broad reform in 2014 – Politics – CBC News.