Seems the Canadian government decided to finally address some of the issues that have a created a tragedy of the commons dynamic around Canadian citizenship. In an op-ed piece from last week in the Globe and Mail,
The writer, Natalie Brender, reports that,
“On April 17, a new law comes into effect changing the rules of citizenship. From that date on, when foreign-born Canadians have children born abroad, those children cannot inherit Canadian citizenship. Under the current rules, such children do receive citizenship and can retain it as adults – even if they’ve never stepped foot in this country – by showing knowledge of Canada and ability to speak English or French.
The new law stems from the 2006 removal of 15,000 Canadian citizens from war in Lebanon, many of whom subsequently returned there. At the time, Stephen Harper’s government condemned so-called citizens of convenience who use citizenship as insurance against turmoil in their home countries. The new law ensures that only one generation of emigrant Canadians will gain such “conveniences” in the future.
It seems this is not the only citizenship reform afoot. Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has recently made comments suggesting that further steps be taken to make citizenship more difficult to obtain.
At an event in Alberta last month, Mr. Kenney was asked about “birth tourists,” who come to have their children in Canada so they can acquire citizenship. He said his department is considering how to prevent such people from abusing our generosity. He mentioned the estimated quarter of a million Canadian citizens living in Hong Kong and the 50,000 or more in Lebanon – and the current right of these citizens’ great-grandchildren to become Canadian citizens – as further evidence of abuse. In another recent speech, Mr. Kenney suggested there be tighter enforcement of the existing rule that immigrants be able to speak an official language before being granted citizenship.”
Who can argue with that?
Here at HHD, we are in favour of immigration, just not immigration in bad faith.
’nuff said.