It was great talking to you on the phone and I do hope we can get this message out to a wider audience. It is of critical importance that our community understand this threat and use their voting power to support the right party and candidates who will repeal Bill C-24 and give our rights back to us. Will wait to hear what you have to say about the article.
We have started a ONE-CANADA campaign to unite during and after the elections and work towards repealing Bill C-24. Join us by visiting our website at www.one-canada.org
Kind regards,
Naheed Hassan
phone: 613-667-3172
10 Reasons why Naturalized Citizens and Second
Generation Canadians should be worried about Bill C-24
Bill C-24, which was voted into law earlier
this year, has resulted in widespread changes in the Citizenship Act. These
changes are retroactive, and apply not only to naturalized citizens but also to
their children, even if the children are Canadian by birth. The amendments have
effected a very real targeting of new Canadians, a curtailment of their
freedoms and the creation of a second class of citizens who have fewer rights
than ‘first-class’ citizens.
As a direct result of Bill C-24, new
Canadians are no longer free to move and live outside of Canada, and must
declare and demonstrate ‘intent to live’ in Canada or risk having their
citizenship revoked, while other citizens have no such restrictions placed on
their movements.
First-class Canadians cannot have their
citizenship revoked under any circumstances, but naturalized citizens,
including their Canadian born children and grandchildren can – for a range of
offences listed in Bill C-24 that are open to very loose interpretation.
Additionally, the life-changing decision to revoke a person’s citizenship can
now be taken by a single immigration official, with no recourse to the judicial
system.
The amendments the Bill has put forward
have been presented as safeguarding Canada from terrorism. However, on a closer
read it is apparent that it severely curtails the rights and liberties of the average
law-abiding citizen. There is clear targeting of new Canadians and their descendants,
who have been reduced to second-class citizens with fewer freedoms, rights and
privileges than ‘old’ Canadians.
Most immigrants come to Canada to build a
better future for themselves, and more importantly, for their children.
However, if the rights of new Canadians have already been limited through Bill
C-24 and they and their children are under threat of losing their citizenship
for any wrong step they take knowingly or unknowingly, then this is not really the
better and brighter future that immigrants to Canada hoped for.
Read
the article below to understand in more detail why you should be worried about
Bill C-24, and what you can do about it.
Changes to the Citizenship Act and Why
You Should Be Worried (WYSBW)
1.
An immigrant must now declare
‘intent to reside’ in Canada in order to be granted Canadian citizenship.
WYSBW: Once you have declared your intent to reside in Canada, if
you take up an international assignment or need to return to your homeland, you
can be accused of obtaining your citizenship by misrepresentation and can have
your citizenship revoked.
2.
The only accepted criteria for
a new Canadian to live and work abroad are if he/she is employed by the
Government, either Federal or provincial, or by the Canadian Armed Forces.
Alternatively a new Canadian can accompany a spouse employed by these agencies.
A new Canadian cannot live and work abroad otherwise.
WYSBW: The Canadian Charter of Rights gives all citizens the
complete freedom of movement. This clause directly curtails the freedoms and
liberties of all naturalized Canadians (and their children after them) and
creates two levels of citizens – those free to travel and live where they wish,
and those that cannot travel or live outside Canada without risk.
These second-class citizens will forever be confined within the
boundaries of Canada, unable to study, work or live abroad without questions
about their commitment to Canada and the threat of revocation of their
citizenship.
3.
The Citizenship Act states that
citizenship can be revoked for a person who gave false representation at the
time of obtaining citizenship.
WYSBW: This clause, when combined with the new clause introduced by
Bill C-24, the declaration of ‘intent to reside in Canada’, a citizen who
leaves Canada for whatever reason, can be accused of misrepresentation at the
time of obtaining citizenship and can have their citizenship revoked. On the
other hand, ‘first-class’ citizens have no such restrictions placed upon them
and cannot have their citizenship revoked, even if they spend their entire
lives abroad.
4.
A Canadian citizen can now be
stripped of citizenship if convicted of criminal activity inside or outside of
Canada.
WYSBW: Firstly, most if not all New Canadians condemn any acts of
terrorism or criminal activity. However, creating different standards of
conduct, and punishment, for New and Old Canadians serves only to divide
society, and diminishes the authenticity and value of Canadian Citizenship for
New Canadians.
Please note that this clause only applies to new Canadians. ‘Old’
Canadians cannot be stripped of their citizenship no matter what crime they
commit. Across the world, punishing criminals is the domain of the criminal
justice system, not that of immigration ministry. Finally, the wording of this
clause is vague and is open to an extremely broad interpretation of what passes
as criminal activity. Because the terminology is so vague, there are chances of
misuse and manipulation, which is heightened by the fact that there is no
longer any judicial recourse or oversight.
5.
To avoid violating
international law on the reduction of statelessness, the only Canadian citizens
who are at risk of having their citizenship stripped are those carrying dual
citizenship or those eligible to claim dual citizenship.
WYSBW: This clause deliberately targets new Canadians, creating a
two-tiered set of citizens in Canada – ‘old’ Canadians whose citizenship cannot
be revoked lest they become stateless and naturalized citizens whose
citizenship can be stripped because they hold or can claim citizenship of
another country.
This clause also opens naturalized citizens to further
discrimination based on ethnicity and national origin. The naturalized citizen
whose country of origin does not allow for dual citizenship are safe because their
citizenship cannot be revoked. Citizens hailing from countries that do
acknowledge dual citizenship are penalized and are at risk.
6.
Citizenship can be stripped
from a citizen who can claim citizenship of another country through birth,
parents, marriage or any other association.
WYSBW: A Canadian citizen who has renounced their previous
citizenship and can still be stripped of citizenship if the immigration
official feels they are eligible to claim citizenship from another country.
This means that even if you have renounced that nationality, you can be
stripped of your Canadian citizenship since you are eligible for another
nationality, if an immigration official determines that your country of origin
still recognizes your claim to citizenship.
Similarly if your spouse or your future generations can claim
citizenship of a different nation through marriage or descent, they too can be
stripped of their citizenship regardless of whether they are even aware of the
fact that they have a claim to dual citizenship.
7.
Being born in Canada, or being
born to a Canadian citizen, does not preclude a person from having their
citizenship revoked. A citizen who is eligible for dual nationality through
marriage to, or descent from a naturalized citizen can have their nationality
revoked.
WYSBW: Bill C-24 has redefined the entire concept of citizenship by
removing the right to citizenship based on birth for the children of
naturalized citizens. Your children, even if they were born Canadians, can have
their citizenship revoked if they can claim eligibility for another nationality
through you.
If you as a naturalized citizen came to Canada for a better future
for your children and future generations – think again. Your descendants will
still face the same limitations and restrictions as you do, simply because they
are descendants of an immigrant.
8.
The assessment and enforcement
of citizenship revocation has been moved into the hands and discretion of an
immigration official – not via judicial inquiry or process.
WYSBW: The entire process of granting and revoking citizenship will be
conducted by immigration officials rather than an impartial, qualified,
independent judiciary. Once again, the broad terminology and unclear processes
established under Bill C-24 for granting and revoking citizenship are liable to
grave misuse and abuse. There is no appeal process and the decision made by a
single official is final and binding.
9.
A citizen whose citizenship has
been revoked has no recourse to a judicial hearing. In some cases of serious
crime, the Minister may call for a hearing.
WYSBW: Bill C-24 does away with the process of a court of appeal and
hearing for citizens whose citizenship has been revoked. Only serious criminals
have the right to a hearing – the average citizen has no such recourse.
10. Bill C-24 is retroactive.
WYSBW: This means that even if your citizenship was granted years
ago, the provisions of this law apply to you.
We
think Bill C-24 is unfair, discriminatory and divisive, and is against the
principles of equality, diversity, multiculturalism and inclusiveness that
defined Canada.
Bill C-24 has already been passed into law,
but you can still do something.
Elections are coming up and as New
Canadians there has never been a better time to rise up and show our political
strength, to add our voices to a unified, fair and progressive Canada.
We need to unite to support candidates and
parties that understand the concerns that this bill raises. You could, as an
example, consider voting for parties that have publicly stated their opposition
to the bill, and have committed to repealing Bill C-24, should they come to
power. We also need to have the unity and strength to ensure follow-through on these
election promises, ensuring that the bill is repealed within a 100 days of the
new government coming to power.
What You Can Do
We have started a ONE-CANADA campaign to
unite during and after the elections and work towards repealing Bill C-24. Join
us by visiting our website at www.one-canada.org
and do the following:
1.
Sign the petition asking all
four PM candidates to repeal Bill C-24 within 100 days of taking offices, and
introduce an amended bill that safeguards Canada but not at the expense of the
rights and civil liberties of New Canadians.
2.
Ask all candidates running from
your constituency about their stance on Bill C-24. Research their previous
voting history. Is this the person you trust to help create an inclusive,
diverse and fair Canada?
3.
Use our automatic mailer to let
your friends know about Bill C-24 and what they can do to help amend this
divisive piece of legislation.
4.
Talk to at least 5 people about
why you and they should be concerned about Bill C-24 in its present form. Ask
to speak to present in your family, and also at your temples, churches,
synagogues, mosques, gurduwaras, jamaat-khanaas, community centers or
libraries.
5.
Finally, if you haven’t done so
yet, please join our mailing list.
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