Indian students rejected the most for international student permits in Canada

Given most of the growth has been from India, the extent of college recruitment in particular and the examples of fraud, not that surprising:

…For the second year in a row, Canada cut the number of international student permits in order to bring down the number of temporary migrants and to deal with fraudulent applications.

As a result, about 74% of Indian students applying to study at Canadian colleges and universities were rejected in August — a big increase compared to about 32% in August 2023, says Reuters, which was provided with immigration department data.

Indian applicants also dropped from 20,900 in August 2023, when they represented just over one-quarter of all applicants, to 4,515 in August.

During the past 10 years, India has been Canada’s top source of international students and in August,  it also had the highest study-permit refusal rate of any country with more than 1,000 approved applicants….

Source: Indian students rejected the most for international student permits in Canada

Ottawa told Trump that visa crackdown led to fewer Indians, Bangladeshis illegally crossing the border

Of note:

Ottawa flagged to the incoming Trump administration that it had stopped more than 2,000 Indians and Bangladeshis from boarding flights to Canada, resulting in a drop in illegal border crossings to the U.S., internal government briefing documents show. 

In an attempt to reassure President Donald Trump and his border czar, Tom Homan, that Canada is serious about clamping down on illegal crossings, Ottawa lauded investigations into visa fraud that targeted Indians and Bangladeshis.

The previous Liberal government, under Justin Trudeau, was trying to dissuade Mr. Trump from imposing tariffs on Canada, saying it was improving border security to reduce illegal crossings and fentanyl smuggling. 

After he was elected, Mr. Trump had threatened to slap tariffs on goods entering the U.S. from Canada on his first day in office, unless Ottawa curbed the flow of drugs and illegal migrants across their border. Canada was among the countries that were eventually hit by tariffs

Briefing documents, drawn up days before Mr. Trump took office on Jan. 20, outline “key messages for outreach with U.S. interlocutors.” The Global Affairs papers, dated Jan. 15, set out efforts to reinforce border security that are “already showing results.”

One document set out messages for a January meeting between then-foreign affairs minister Mélanie Joly and Mr. Homan. “The number of illegal crossings from Canada into the U.S. continues to decline, thanks to our tougher visa policy and practices for Mexican, Indian and Bangladeshi travellers,” it says. 

It adds that the government has also “taken enforcement action to address smuggling through First Nation reserves.”

The internal Global Affairs briefing documents say “over 2,000 people of Indian and Bangladeshi origin have been denied boarding on flights to Canada following a targeted review of visa issuance for cases of fraud … since March 2024.” 

They add that “in summer 2024, IRCC refocused efforts on screening and processing for high-risk countries,” referring to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. …

Source: Ottawa told Trump that visa crackdown led to fewer Indians, Bangladeshis illegally crossing the border

Trump’s birthright citizenship order rattles H-1B workers expecting a baby

Seems like the hardliners won this debate within the Trump administration but court decisions will likely make this moot:

Ajay’s dilemma shows the wide ranging fallout from the early days of Trump’s immigration crackdown. While the emphasis during the campaign was border security and deportations of people in the country without permission, some of Trump’s first executive orders have targeted legal immigrants. 

That includes refugees whose resettlement plans were canceled, asylum seekers whose appointments to plead their case were scrapped and holders of H-1B and other work and student visas who are now trying to navigate what the new policy on birthright citizenship means for their families.

The situation also highlights tension within the Trump universe about immigration. Elon Musk has called for an expansion of the H-1B visa program to help ensure a robust pipeline of workers for tech companies like his own, while others like Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller have espoused more restrictive polices.

About 85,000 foreigners are allowed to move to the US annually under the coveted H-1B visa program, and there are now hundreds of thousands of people living in the US under those rules. Indians are the biggest recipients, accounting for 75% of all such visa petitions in 2020, with Chinese No. 2 with about 12% and Canadians No. 3. with 1%, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Under Trump’s order, citizenship would be denied to any child who doesn’t have at least one parent who is a US citizen or legal permanent resident. While it would apply to those in the country illegally — long a goal of Miller and others — it would also extend to those in the US as tourists, students or on temporary work visas.

The US is fairly unique in offering unconditional birthright citizenship, creating a special enticement for foreign workers deciding on which country to move to. Mexico and Canada have similar rules, but places including Australia, Germany, India and the UK don’t. If US nationals have a baby in Australia, for example, the child will automatically get the same visa status as the parents.

There is no official US data available about how many children are born to non-citizens annually. But in lawsuits challenging the order, lawyers said at least 150,000 children a year could be affected.

On Jan. 23, a federal judge in Seattle, John Coughenour, put the order on hold for 14 days and could extend that going forward. Other hearings set for challenges filed elsewhere are expected in the coming weeks.

Rajat Suri, a tech entrepreneur and co-founder of the ride hailing company Lyft Inc., said curtailing birthright citizenship has the potential to make it dramatically harder for US companies to recruit foreign workers.

“Every company that hires talented immigrants to come work for them, they are attracting them to build their lives, including families,” said Suri, whose latest venture is Lima, a company that helps foreign workers interested in moving to the US navigate the system. “If a baby is not going to be a US citizen, that is going to be a huge deterrent.”

He said attracting foreigners to the US is already complicated, given the extensive documentation and vetting needed to win a work visa. He met coworkers on temporary visas who opted to return home because of immigration complications, and adding a layer of uncertainty about the fate of any children born on US soil would only make things more complex, he said.

“We already put immigrants through so much unnecessary trauma,” said Suri, the child of Indian immigrants to Canada who is now a naturalized US citizen. “They will just go to some place that treats immigrants better, where they have options.”…

Source: Trump’s birthright citizenship order rattles H-1B workers expecting a baby

Opinion | The Diaspora Dilemma: Taxation, Dual Citizenship, And Voting Rights

Interesting take from an Indian perspective (interestingly, Canada does not figure among destination countries perhaps reflecting fewer taxation issues but Canadian NRIs form 6.4 percent of total, 2024 data):

In 2023, India received a staggering $125 billion in remittances. The number of NRI and OCI card holders is upwards of 32 million individuals. The numbers are staggering, undeniably highlighting the immense contribution of the Indian diaspora. However, beneath these impressive figures lies a complex relationship, a balancing act between celebrating the global Indian presence and addressing their very real challenges and aspirations.

The Tax‘ing’ Reality

One of the most persistent hurdles for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) is navigating the labyrinthine Indian tax system. Double taxation looms large, a significant concern for many. Indeed, a recent survey revealed that double taxation is a primary concern for a considerable percentage of NRIs across various countries: 14.11 per cent in Australia, 13.10 per cent in the UK, and 8.06 per cent in the US, to be precise.

Compounding this issue is the difficulty in accessing necessary taxation documents from abroad. The same survey highlighted this struggle, with 12.10 per cent of NRIs in the US, 9.05 per cent in the UK, and 6.02 per cent in Australia reporting this as a major challenge.

Furthermore, accessing crucial taxation documents from abroad adds another layer of difficulty. For 12.10 per cent of NRIs in the US, 9.05 per cent in the UK, and 6.02 per cent in Australia, simply obtaining the necessary paperwork is a significant challenge.

Despite government efforts, tax-related issues continue to proliferate. Streamlining these processes would be a tangible step towards acknowledging the economic contributions of the diaspora.

A Voice Without A Vote?

Democracy thrives on participation, yet for many NRIs, the right to exercise their franchise remains largely symbolic. The numbers paint a concerning picture of poor electoral participation among overseas Indian voters in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Despite nearly 1.2 lakh NRIs registering as electors, a minuscule number actually turned up to vote.

The Election Commission’s data reveals a stark truth: only 2,958 overseas electors flew down to India to participate in the “largest democratic exercise in the world,” and a staggering 2,670 of those were from Kerala alone. The fact that several large states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu saw zero turnout of overseas electors speaks volumes.

The reasons behind this dismal participation are not hard to fathom. The current electoral law mandates that registered NRI voters must physically travel to their respective Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies to cast their vote, presenting their original passports as proof of identity. This requirement poses significant logistical and financial hurdles. Travel costs, employment obligations, and educational commitments abroad make it virtually impossible for the vast majority of NRIs to exercise their right to vote.

The Election Commission itself acknowledges these challenges, having proposed extending the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) facility to overseas voters – a move that, unfortunately, is still in the works.

The Dual Citizenship Conundrum

The concept of dual citizenship for Indians living abroad is a topic of enduring debate, fraught with both promise and perceived peril. As External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar rightly pointed out in 2023, offering dual citizenship presents “security and economic challenges.” Concerns linger about the potential for divided loyalties and the complexities of managing citizens with allegiance to multiple nations.

However, the desire for dual citizenship among the diaspora is palpable, driven by a yearning to maintain their connection with India while fully participating in their adopted homelands.

The OCI card, while offering certain privileges like multiple entries and a lifelong visa, falls short of granting full citizenship rights. It excludes OCIs from political and electoral life, preventing them from holding government jobs or acquiring agricultural land. For many, the OCI status feels like a consolation prize, not a true recognition of their continued connection to India.

NRIs And National Interest

India’s diaspora is far more than just a reliable source of remittances; it’s a vibrant and powerful extension of India’s global influence. Their achievements paint a compelling picture of Indian talent and capability on the world stage. Consider the example of Indian-origin CEOs leading global tech giants – their success stories become India’s success stories, bolstering its image as a hub of innovation and technological prowess.

Similarly, the growing number of Indian-origin politicians in positions of power across Western nations offers India valuable access and understanding within these critical geopolitical spheres.

This widespread network acts as a bridge, fostering greater cultural understanding and goodwill. The global popularity of Indian cuisine, yoga, and Bollywood, often championed and celebrated by the diaspora, introduces aspects of Indian culture to a wider audience, creating a positive association with the country. Moreover, these established communities often serve as vital conduits for diplomatic and economic engagement.

Bridging The Divide

The challenges faced by the Indian diaspora are not insurmountable. Addressing them requires a nuanced approach that carefully balances national interests with the genuine needs and aspirations of its global citizenry. Streamlining taxation processes, exploring viable options for remote voting, and seriously considering the merits of dual citizenship are crucial steps towards fostering a more robust and mutually beneficial relationship. Ignoring the challenges risks alienating a significant segment of the Indian community, a community whose contributions are vital to India’s economic and cultural standing on the world stage.

Source: Opinion | The Diaspora Dilemma: Taxation, Dual Citizenship, And Voting Rights

HESA: Credulous Nonsense on Colleges from the CBC

Good analysis and critique. Shameful that the CBC declined to interview Usher as part of their reporting:

…So why did the CBC react as if it did?

This was the question I asked them when a CBC producer tried to get me to comment on the story on December 27th. Why would you do a story on so little evidence? I said I didn’t think the evidence merited a story but agreed to speak to them if they wanted someone to explain exactly why the evidence was so thin. You will no doubt be shocked to learn that CBC then declined to interview me.

Upon reading the story, it’s not hard to understand why. With zero evidence, they got a bunch of experts to repeat talking points about the awfulness of student visas that they’ve been repeating for months now.

Raj Sharma, a Calgary-based immigration lawyer, told said “If the allegations are true, it reveals shocking gaps in our integrity protocols.… This is deeply, deeply concerning and problematic,” adding that the allegations suggest “wide-scale human smuggling.”

(The “if” in that sentence is doing a hell of a lot of work – AU)

Kelly Sundberg, a former Canada Border Services Agency officer who is a professor of criminology at Mount Royal University, said the system has no oversight and is “being exploited” by transnational criminals. “This type of fraud, of gaming our immigration system has been going on for quite some time actually,” he said, noting that the volume of those potentially involved “is staggering.”

Ken Zaifman, a Winnipeg-based immigration lawyer, says that from his experience, the responsibility of oversight should lie with the educational institutions, but that they did not do so because “they were addicted to international students to fund their programs.”

Ok, so, these comments about fraud and oversight are worth examining. I’m trying to imagine how either the government of Canada or an educational institution could legitimately “prevent fraud” or “exercise oversight” in a case like this one. Are colleges and universities supposed to be like the pre-cogs in the movie Minority Report, able to spot criminals before they commit a crime? I mean, there is a case to be made that in the past Canada made such cross-border runs more tempting by allowing students’ entire families to join them in Canada while studying (as was the case in the Dingucha affair), but that loophole was largely closed ten months ago when the feds basically stopped giving open work permits to partners of students unless they were enrolled in a graduate degree.

Anyways, this is where we are now: our national broadcaster sees no problem running evidence-free stories simply as a platform to beat up on public colleges because that’s a great way to get clicks. Crappy journalism? Sure. But it’s also evidence of the disdain with which Canadian PSE institutions are now viewed by the broader public: CBC wouldn’t run such a thin story unless it thought the target was “soft.” And there’s no solution to our funding woes until this gets sorted out.

Source: HESA: Credulous Nonsense on Colleges from the CBC

Rising diplomatic tensions and allegations of foreign interference fuel plummeting Canadian views of India

Significant and understandable:

Amid fresh, but so far denied, allegations of Indian political interference in Canada’s 2022 Conservative Party leadership race, a new public opinion poll from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute, in partnership with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, indicates a significant decline in Canadian views towards the sub-continental superpower.

Where a majority (52%) of people in this country told ARI 20 months ago that Ottawa should approach New Delhi either as a valued partner and ally or on friendly terms, that sentiment has dropped by half to just 24 per cent.

Further, favourable views of India have plummeted from a high of 56 per cent in January 2020 to 26 per cent today. The inverse negative view has more than doubled.

These data also reveal India is now only seen more favourably by Canadians than Russia and China, while trust in New Delhi sits at less than one-third (28%).

There is less consensus over how Canada is perceived to be handling the relationship, although a plurality are inclined to say Ottawa isn’t managing it well (39%) compared to one-third (32%) who say the opposite and almost the same number (29%) who say they aren’t sure. A significant political tension colours these perceptions. Those who say they would vote for the Liberal Party of Canada in the next election are most complimentary of the Trudeau government’s performance on this file, while professed Conservative supporters say the current government is mishandling the situation.

The froideur between the two nations shows little sign of warming in the short term. The belief among 39 per cent in Canada is things will not improve until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is no longer in office, while 34 per cent say the same of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

That said, two-thirds (64%) of Canadians say this country should at minimum, “cautiously” attempt to re-open trade negotiations on a free trade agreement with India, a finding slightly boosted by threats from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump of blanket 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports.

Source: Rising diplomatic tensions and allegations of foreign interference fuel plummeting Canadian views of India

Permit processing setback for Indian students in Canada

Of note, primarily colleges (where the excesses and abuses largely occurred:

…Introduced in 2018, SDS enabled students from select countries, including India, to fast-track their applications if they fulfilled certain requirements, including securing a Canadian Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) valued at CA$20,635 (US$14,731) and submitting English or French language test scores. 

It notably shortened the waiting time for permits, allowing successful applicants to obtain visas within weeks, in contrast to the average processing time of eight weeks for Indian applicants under the standard application process.

The changes came into effect on 8 November, but students who submitted applications before that date will still be processed through the expedited stream. Indian students will now have to apply for study permits through Canada’s standard study permit stream. 

Originally accessible to applicants from China, India, and the Philippines, the programme subsequently broadened its scope to include additional countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Colombia, and Morocco, among others.

Canadian immigration authorities state the discontinuation of the SDS and NSE programmes is aimed at “strengthening programme integrity”, and is designed to create “a more equitable process” for international students, ensuring fair treatment for applicants from all countries.

Prioritising university applicants

Students from Punjab are more likely to be impacted as they enrol in Canada’s community colleges, while Canadian universities attract more students from large cities elsewhere in India, education agents said. 

“With Canada’s new cap of 437,000 study permits for 2025, I think this signals a clear shift toward prioritising degree-seeking students over diploma programmes,” said Maria Mathai, director of New Delhi-based education consultancy MM Advisory Services.

Mathai told University World News that the most immediate impact will be felt in the college sector, which accounted for 75% of SDS applications post-pandemic. She noted it could lead to an overall drop in approval rates.

In 2023, 60% of the 400,000 Indian students seeking to study in Canada applied through the SDS programme, which had a significantly higher approval rate – over 70% of applicants from India received study permits. 

In contrast, those applying through the regular study permit stream experienced much lower approval rates, at just 10%.

“Students pursuing diploma programmes, particularly from Punjab, will indeed face processing times which will increase from 1-3 weeks to 4-8 weeks,” said Mathai, adding it was to be expected as the original programme was launched to promote college applications….

Source: Permit processing setback for Indian students in Canada

Exodus of high net worth Indians economic travesty: Congress on citizenship renunciation data

Indian brain drain political debate:

Citing government data of 2.16 lakh Indians renouncing their citizenship in 2023, the Congress on Saturday said the exodus of high-skilled and high net worth Indians is an “economic travesty” that will shrink the country’s tax revenue base over the next few years. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said business personalities are increasingly relocating to places such as Singapore, UAE, the UK and other places renouncing their Indian citizenship. 

In a written response to queries on Indian citizens who have renounced their citizenship, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh recently told the Rajya Sabha that more than 2.16 lakh Indians renounced their citizenship in 2023. 

Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in-charge communications, said the number was almost double than what it was in 2011, at 123,000.

Many of these Indians who renounced their citizenship are highly skilled and educated, and their leaving the country at a time of a domestic skilled labour supply shortage will “extract a serious toll on our economy,” he said. 

“Many are also financially well-off – earlier this year, a leading global investment migration advisory firm had revealed that over 17,000 millionaires (individuals with total assets greater than $1 million) had left India in the last three years,” Ramesh said. 

This exodus of high-skilled and high net worth Indians could very well have been the result of opaque tax policies and an arbitrary tax administration, quite apart from the overall climate of fear and intimidation surrounding corporate India in the past decade, the Congress leader said. …

Source: Exodus of high net worth Indians economic travesty: Congress on citizenship renunciation data

Phillips: A federal minister wanted Canadian soldiers to serve as props at a pop concert. It’s just the latest way the Trudeau government has treated national security as a joke

Really wonder what they are thinking (or not thinking):

You can’t be too careful these days. With all the fake news, misinformation and AI-generated “deep fakes” out there you can’t take anything at face value. You have to be on your guard.

Which is why when I saw a headline this week saying a federal minister had lobbied for 100 Canadian soldiers to act as “backdrops” for a concert by an Indian pop star, my first thought was it must be one of those fakes. Or perhaps someone’s idea of a joke.

But no. It turns out a minister in the Trudeau government, Harjit Sajjan, really did try to convince the military to supply soldiers to be, in effect, props for a performance in Vancouver by one of India’s most popular singers and actors, Diljit Dosanjh.

Sajjan, the minister of emergency preparedness and a former defence minister, sent the request to the current defence minister, Bill Blair. Blair apparently passed it on to whoever’s in charge of these things in the Canadian Armed Forces and fortunately sanity prevailed. The military replied that “this request would not be feasible due to the tight timeline and personnel availability.”

This is a story that might well just slip by, especially in the depths of summer when no one’s paying attention. But it shouldn’t. It underlines this government’s fundamental lack of seriousness on issues of national security and, just as bad, its habit of playing diaspora politics rather than focusing on the national interest.

Sajjan isn’t having any of this. After the Globe & Mail reported his request for soldiers he didn’t apologize or back down. On the contrary. He defended the idea as “a good opportunity for the Canadian Armed Forces to engage with and expand connections to a diverse community of young Canadians.”

But this wasn’t an event with broad public connections like a Canada Day concert, a Grey Cup halftime show or a multicultural festival. It may well be appropriate for the military to have a presence at such events to, quite literally, show the flag.

This was a private, commercial concert by a very popular singer from another country. You might as well ask the air force to do a flyover at a Taylor Swift concert. The military, to state the obvious, isn’t there to serve as props for pop stars – however popular.

Now, it’s impossible to miss the fact that Dosanjh is a mega-star who was born in Punjab and makes much of those origins. He’s hugely popular in India and is reaching out to other countries; his Vancouver event was reportedly the biggest Punjabi music concert ever outside India.

Does any of this escape the Liberals? Of course not. They’re acutely attuned to currents in diaspora communities, including those from India and especially Punjab, the only Sikh-majority state in India. Sajjan himself was born in Punjab and is one of several ministers with origins in India. Nothing wrong with that – but there is something wrong with trying to use the military in a way that may bring political benefits.

Sajjan came under fire recently for telling the armed forces to mount a rescue operation for 225 Afghan Sikhs during the fall of Kabul in August 2021. The suggestion was that Sajjan, defence minister at the time, diverted resources from others desperate to get out before the Taliban took over.

In light of that you’d think he’d be extra cautious about doing anything else that might be interpreted as pandering to Punjabi-Canadian voters. But apparently not.

There’s a bit more spill-over from all this. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself dropped in at another concert by Dosanjh in July at the Rogers Centre in Toronto and referred to the singer as “a guy from Punjab.” 

That sounds banal but given the tense state of relations between India and Canada it created a minor storm. The national secretary of the ruling party in India, the BJP, accused Trudeau of “deliberate mischief through wordplay” by emphasizing Dosanjh’s Punjabi identity, rather than his Indian one.

If the government is serious about repairing relations with India, shouldn’t it avoid even small missteps that feed India’s narrative about Canada being a hotbed of Sikh separatism? Unless, of course, it prefers to play for partisan advantage.

Source: A federal minister wanted Canadian soldiers to serve as props at a pop concert. It’s just the latest way the Trudeau government has treated national security as a joke

Canada set to lift restrictive citizenship by descent norms; Indian diaspora to benefit say experts

Seems like immigration source countries are looking at the implications of the change more than Canadian media: “open up the chain of citizenship without end…:”
 
…Pavan Dhillon, immigration attorney illustrates the first- generation limit. Mrs. A was born in India and was its former citizen. Subsequently after migrating, she acquired Canadian citizenship. On her return to India, she bore a child – ‘B’. Now, ‘B’ was eligible to be a Canadian citizen through descent. However, subsequently, ‘B’ (a Canadian citizen) could not under the first-generation limit rule pass on citizenship to her child (let’s name him C) if C was also born outside Canada.In other words, the first-generation which was born abroad, did not have the right to pass on citizenship by descent to the second-generation that was born abroad. This set of individuals, who were denied citizenship by descent are referred to as ‘Lost Canadians’.

According to the proposed amendment children born abroad to Canadians since 2009, would automatically be granted citizenship. A new substantial connection test would be created for those born outside Canada, after the new law comes into effect.

Those Indians who post enactment of the proposed legislation are eligible to become Canadian citizens and want to opt for it, will have to give up their Indian citizenship, as dual citizenship is not permitted.

The proposed provisions require that “Parents born abroad who have or adopt children also born outside Canada will need to have spent at least 1,095 cumulative days of physical presence in Canada prior to the birth or adoption of their child to pass on citizenship”.

Ken Nickel-Lane, founder of an immigration services firm , told TOI, “This announcement, at least on initial reading looks like it will open up the chain of citizenship without end as long as the parents have spent at least 1,095 cumulative days (approximately three years) of physical presence in Canada prior to the birth or adoption of their child to pass on citizenship. So, this could be very significant to a large group of individuals worldwide, notably Indian Nationals given that they are our largest source of new Canadians.”

However, it could be another immigration hot issue, as in some quarters it may be perceived that the floodgates to a wider pool of new immigrants have been opened, adds Nickel-Lane.

“The proposed legislation intends to ensure that Canadians who have substantial ties to Canada are not limited in their ability to pass on their citizenship to their children. The new legislation will greatly benefit the diaspora with significant ties to Canada,” states Dhillon .

Minister Miller summed up, “The current rules generally restrict citizenship by descent to the first generation, excluding some people who have a genuine connection to Canada. This has unacceptable consequences for families and impacts life choices, such as where individuals may choose to live, work, study, or even where to have children and raise a family. These changes aim to be inclusive and protect the value of Canadian citizenship, as we are committed to making the citizenship process as fair and transparent as possible.”

Canada’s immigration agency has stated that if the bill passes in Parliament and receives royal assent, it will work as quickly as possible to implement these changes and will provide more information for eligible individuals on its website.

Source: Canada set to lift restrictive citizenship by descent norms; Indian diaspora to benefit say experts

Some coverage as well in the Nigerian press but with limited analysis by Daniel Béland: Canada restores citizenship rights to “lost Canadians”