C-3 Citizenship Act to Replace First Generation Cut-Off: Stalled at Second Reading

While Conservatives support the provision to treat adoptees born abroad as Canadian-born and the fix for the small remaining 1977-81 cohort of “Lost Canadians”, they maintain their opposition to the proposed connection residency test of 1,095 days with no time restriction for the second generation born abroad, as was the case in the identical C-71 that died on the order paper.

Likely reflecting the lingering bitterness of the Liberal and NDP efforts to “hijack” S-245 bill by broadening its scope beyond fixing the 1977-81 cohort to address second generation born abroad issues, it appears the CPC will oppose the Bill every step of the way.

As a result, the Bill did not complete second reading and will thus not make it to committee before the fall, a tight timeframe in which to meet the federal court deadline of November 20.

Conservatives raised three major concerns:

• Cumulative 1,095 residency requirement, not consecutive or time limited (e.g., within 5 years as per permanent residents);
• Lack of estimated numbers of persons affected and related operational estimates and costs (interestingly, government members did not mention the PBO study showing a likely 115,000 persons over five years but Conservative members did:; and,
• Need for criminality or security checks for the second generation born-abroad (may be more of a stretch to argue given we don’t do criminal or security checks on first generation born or adopted abroad).

No new information or insights by the Minister and government members compared to C-71.

My analysis of the previous Bill C-71 opens up a possible never-ending chain of citizenship also featured in their remarks.

Source: Hansard link