Barker: Oath of citizenship is archaic and needs to go away – Smithers Interior News

One could argue that the proposed shift to “citizenship on a click” through self-affirmation of the oath will likely lead to more proposals like this. Presumably, Barker would not argue for reduced residency, knowledge and language requirements.

While unclear from his op-ed, unclear whether he has ever attended a citizenship ceremony with the reciting the oath (and he doesn’t even reference the current oath with its reference to Indigenous treaties):

Recently Marc Miller, Canada’s new immigration minister, reiterated that adding the option for new citizens to take their oath of citizenship with the click of a button was still on the table.

I’ve got an even better idea for the minister.

Do away with the oath of citizenship altogether.

It is a pointless exercise at best and demeaning to our new co-citizens at worst.

First of all, by the mere act of forcing this upon new citizens, we are effectively making them second-class citizens. Canadians by birth don’t have to take the oath, nor should we have to, nor should naturalized ones.

And the oath, to put it bluntly, sucks.

“I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, and fulfil [sic] my duties as a Canadian citizen.”

I wouldn’t take this oath, would you? Maybe, if the reference to Charles was removed, but even then, why should I? My right not to is protected by the Constitution.

Secondly, there is no specific consequence for breaking the oath. There are plenty of consequences for committing crimes, which, in essence, amounts to breaking the oath, but the Crown can’t add an additional charge of breaking the oath of citizenship.

And even if you do break the law, thereby effectively breaking the oath, they can put you in jail, but they can’t revoke your citizenship. They can’t do that to citizens by birth and they can’t do it to naturalized citizens either.

There is only one provision for revoking citizenship and that is if it was obtained by false representation, fraud or knowingly concealing material circumstances.

Interestingly, the same applies to renouncing your citizenship. In other words, the minister can say, ‘no, you cannot renounce your citizenship, because you are doing so under false pretenses.’

New citizens have to go through a lot of rigamarole for years to obtain citizenship. When they are naturalized, they know more about their roles and responsibilities as citizens than most of the rest of us do and are obligated to “faithfully observe the laws of Canada” and fulfill their duties as citizens by becoming citizens.

Taking an oath is redundant.

Finally, the very second a new citizen takes the oath and becomes a citizen, it is perfectly legal for them to disavow it, or at least the offensive parts of it (i.e., pledging allegiance to the King and, even worse, his unnamed successors).

The oath is an archaic practice that just needs to go away.

Source: Oath of citizenship is archaic and needs to go away – Smithers Interior News