Feds Want to Tighten Citizenship Requirements

[Keepitsimple]

Feds want to toughen up citizenship rules

OTTAWA — The federal government introduced legislation Thursday to make it harder for people to get or keep Canadian citizenship by fraudulent means.

Applicants would have to be "physically present" in Canada for three of the previous four years under toughened residency requirements.

The aim is to stop people from claiming citizenship when they live abroad most of the time or use a post office box as proof of residency.

It would make it easier to strip citizenship from those who hid crimes committed abroad, and that would make it easier to get war criminals out of Canada.

The bill was announced by Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney at a news conference.

"Canadian citizenship is highly valued around the world and today we are taking steps to ensure it stays that way," he said in a statement.

The reforms would crack down on "crooked" citizenship consultants and impose penalties for citizenship fraud of up to $100,000 or five years in prison or both.

Link: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Feds+want+toughen+citizenship+rules/3136482/story.html

[Hydraboss]

Wonderful, but what will it accomplish? As long as Canada allows immigration via family reunitement beyond immediate members (grandparents, cousins, etc), the crooks will simply go that route. Have the super-clean brother jump through the hoops, and then apply through the family-thing and skip the 3 out of 4 year requirement.

I'll give them credit; they're trying. Just not going far enough to protect Canadian interests. He was right when he said Canadian passports are valuable...they're easy to get and you don't have to actually give up your current citizenship to get one (you can live where you want and scream at the Canadian government when all hell breaks loose and you need an airlift out of the shithole you live in).

[Argus]

I'll give them credit; they're trying. Just not going far enough to protect Canadian interests. He was right when he said Canadian passports are valuable...they're easy to get and you don't have to actually give up your current citizenship to get one (you can live where you want and scream at the Canadian government when all hell breaks loose and you need an airlift out of the shithole you live in).

There's a limit to what they can get past a parliament dominated by left wing and immigrant-centred parties.

[Hydraboss]

There's a limit to what they can get past a parliament dominated by left wing and immigrant-centred parties.

Agreed, but I have lost any faith that the CPC would move any farther ahead even if they didn't have the Liberal scapegoat available. They look more and more like the Mulroney Tories every day.

[Machjo]

Another absolutely basic requirement I could see woudl be to require them all to pass a basic English of French test.

[Hydraboss]

Another absolutely basic requirement I could see woudl be to require them all to pass a basic English of French test.

But then what's next? Are you going to require that they able to drive a car before getting a license? Will they have to prove that they will be anything but a drain on welfare and medicare? If you're going that far, you might as well insist that they not practice Sharia Law, cover their faces or sacrifice live goats in their front yards.

Methinks you ask too much.

[Borg]

Canada is already doomed as is Europe

Too little too late

Would have been better to encourage a birth rate that would do more than allow a slow population decline

Borg

[Bonam]

I don't think we're "doomed" yet. We still have a few decades to work something out.

[Moonbox]

Another absolutely basic requirement I could see woudl be to require them all to pass a basic English of French test.

One of the few instances where I agree with you

[Borg]

I don't think we're "doomed" yet. We still have a few decades to work something out.

You may have seen this before

Go to about the five minute mark for Canada

Your numbers are off a little bit

Borg

Edited June 11, 2010 by Borg

[Argus]

I don't think we're "doomed" yet. We still have a few decades to work something out.

And do you see any signs of progress? I don't. The source countries for immigrants have remained largely unchanged in the last decade, and the incomes of immigrants continue to fall, reflecting the widening gap between their skill set and what is required in the Canadian workplace.

[Bonam]

You may have seen this before

Haven't. It's a bit over-dramatized, and places too much emphasis on religion in my opinion, but obviously makes some valid points about demographics.

Go to about the five minute mark for Canada

Your numbers are off a little bit

How are my "numbers" off, when I merely stated a range of "a few decades"? The video merely gives fertility rates and immigration numbers for Canada.

And do you see any signs of progress? I don't. The source countries for immigrants have remained largely unchanged in the last decade, and the incomes of immigrants continue to fall, reflecting the widening gap between their skill set and what is required in the Canadian workplace.

I foresee rapid progress once the reality of the situation is exemplified in certain European nations, which are ahead of us on the curve by some time. If not in Canada, then at least in the US, which stands a much better chance.

[August1991]

Wonderful, but what will it accomplish? As long as Canada allows immigration via family reunitement beyond immediate members (grandparents, cousins, etc), the crooks will simply go that route. Have the super-clean brother jump through the hoops, and then apply through the family-thing and skip the 3 out of 4 year requirement.

No, this citizenship change is important.

At present, an arriving immigrant becomes a "permanent resident" and this status is lost if the immigrant leaves Canada for any length of time. After "three years residency" in Canada, the immigrant can apply for Canadian citizenship.

The problem is that the "three year residency" rule has all sorts of loopholes. For example, if one is physically resident in Canada for six months, that counts as a year. Or, if one left Canada for "exceptional" reasons, this time is still counted in the three years. This is even before we get into cases of fraud (since there is no passport control at Canadian departure there is no way of verify dates).

This new law will go some way to tighten up who receives Canadian citizenship. Frankly, I would change it to five years residency before an immigrant can apply for citizenship, and I would also require that permanent residents apply for permission before leaving Canada. I believe that this is the law in the US.

But this Conservative change is going in the right direction. I note too that the Tories seem to have the support of the other parties.

[Natchuck]

Another absolutely basic requirement I could see woudl be to require them all to pass a basic English of French test.

Finally you said something sensable.

[Keepitsimple]

Another absolutely basic requirement I could see woudl be to require them all to pass a basic English of French test.

That's already a requirement....but I don't know how strict the "test" would be - here's the existing requirements for citizenship:

Canadian Citizenship

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is the federal department that manages Canadian citizenship, both for those applying and for current Canadian citizens.

Approximately 260,000 people became citizens of Canada in 2006, which represents 85 per cent of eligible Canadian immigrants. These new Canadians have taken loyalty oaths pledging their commitment to the responsibilities and privileges of Canadian citizenship.

To be eligible for Canadian citizenship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Applicants must have Canadian Permanent Resident status and have lived in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) out of the past four years before applying.

Children under 18 must also have Permanent Resident status but do not have to satisfy the three year requirement.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

For children under 18 years, the application can be made by the child's parent, adoptive parent, or legal guardian, who is already a Canadian citizen or who is in the process of applying for citizenship at the same time.

Applicants must be able to speak either one or both of Canadas two official languages (English or French) well enough to communicate in Canadian society. The applicant must know enough English and/or French to understand people and for people to understand them.

Applicants cannot have a criminal history considered prohibitive to granting Canadian citizenship (as decided by CIC).

Applicants must be aware the rights and responsibilities of citizens and have a basic knowledge of Canada's geography, political system, and history.

Eligible candidates can apply for Canadian citizenship through Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Once approved, they will be required to take a citizenship test (for applicants between 18 and 54).

Successful applicants must then attend a citizenship ceremony where they receive a certificate of Canadian citizenship and officially become new Canadians citizens.

Link: http://www.canadavisa.com/canadian-citizenship.html

Edited June 12, 2010 by Keepitsimple