So I ask, what is or defines a Canadian?

[Guest Peeves]

Are Québécois that define themselves first as French -Québécois really implying they aren't Canadians?

Are First Nations, that reside (now, some historically apparently never did), in Canada on their own territory or reserve Canadians in their mind?

Are those that would leave Canada and ally themselves with Somali causes or to fight our NATO allies really Canadians?

Are those that immigrate or claim and receive refugee status then return to visit or live for years on end in their former country of 'threat' Canadians?

Are those (immigrants -what ever),that only live in Canada frequently enough to gain benefits,,health care, rescue etc. really Canadians?

I think the criteria should be examined and possibly tightened up.

[guyser]

Being born here.

or

Gettng citizenship status.

[waldo]

Are Québécois that define themselves first as French -Québécois really implying they aren't Canadians?

Are First Nations, that reside (now, some historically apparently never did), in Canada on their own territory or reserve Canadians in their mind?

Are those that would leave Canada and ally themselves with Somali causes or to fight our NATO allies really Canadians?

Are those that immigrate or claim and receive refugee status then return to visit or live for years on end in their former country of 'threat' Canadians?

Are those (immigrants -what ever),that only live in Canada frequently enough to gain benefits,,health care, rescue etc. really Canadians?

it's not someone who purposely draws out false-fronted strawman wedge issues, particularly anti-immigration/anti-refugee ones.

I think the criteria should be examined and possibly tightened up.

the criteria? Which would be... what?

[Guest Peeves]

it's not someone who purposely draws out false-fronted strawman wedge issues, particularly anti-immigration/anti-refugee ones.

the criteria? Which would be... what?

So you think the status quo is acceptable?

[waldo]

So you think the status quo is acceptable?

here I thought this was a thread intended to discuss qualities/make-up defining Canadians... not just another anti-immigration/anti-refugee twirl around - go figure!

[Signals.Cpl]

So you think the status quo is acceptable?

The criteria needs to be defined before we can begin to tighten it up.

[Moonlight Graham]

Being born here.

or

Gettng citizenship status.

This.

[DogOnPorch]

A Canadian is someone who knows how to have sex in a canoe.

--–Pierre Berton.

[Signals.Cpl]

This.

Thats not criteria.

[guyser]

Thats not criteria.

Yes it is.

It answersd the question with all the criteria needed.

I was born here = I am Canadian

My sister in law got her citizenship papers = She is Canadian.

Am I missing something?

[Moonbox]

This thread should just die. What an inane question....

[Guest Manny]

This thread should just die. What an inane question....

And yet, inanity is a strong Canadian attribute...

[Signals.Cpl]

Yes it is.

It answersd the question with all the criteria needed.

I was born here = I am Canadian

My sister in law got her citizenship papers = She is Canadian.

Am I missing something?

Thats a means of getting the citizenship, not the criteria you need to meet to gain citizenship. What I am stating is that we should have criteria for people to meet to be able to become citizens. My parents immigrated to Canada almost 16 years ago along with two young children, and then they build their lives here by working and paying taxes and being responsible citizens. I personally know some immigrants that come to Canada and milk the system for decades while providing nothing back to Canada. There is no need to let people stay in Canada if they show no desire to be productive members of society.

Another thing is getting a passport and living in another country for 40 years and renewing the Canadian passport just incase you need evacuation like people in Lebanon amongst other places did and still do. They become citizens get their passports and move back to Lebanon and live for decades without visiting Canada or even without being able to speak either of our official languages and keep the passport only as an escape route for an evacuation.

If an immigrant turns out to be a career criminal then revoke their Canadian Citizenship and send them back to their home country. For people Born in Canada it is different as you cannot revoke their citizenship.

To become a Canadian Citizen you need to be either born in Canada or meet the requirements to immigrate to Canada, meet the requirements to gain citizenship, and finally meet the requirements to maintain citizenship. No need to bring people in Canada so that they can live on welfare for the remainder of their lives and once they "retire" they continue to get government assistance even though they might have been unemployed for the previous 20 or 30 years.

[mentalfloss]

A piece of land.

[-TSS-]

Canada, Ireland and New Zealand all have one thing in common; they in the shadow of a bigger and better-known neighbour and all three are going out of their way to convince the outside world that they are different than the bigger neighbour they are overshadowed by.

[WWWTT]

I personally know some immigrants that come to Canada and milk the system for decades while providing nothing back to Canada.

Sounds like many corporations.

Funny how that some people don't hold large corporations to the same standard as people???

WWWTT

[Signals.Cpl]

Sounds like many corporations.

Funny how that some people don't hold large corporations to the same standard as people???

WWWTT

Sounds like some provinces as well doesn't it?

[jacee]

Sounds like many corporations.

Funny how that some people don't hold large corporations to the same standard as people???

WWWTT

:lol:

[Topaz]

I would be interesting to ask that question to a foreigner and their response.

[WWWTT]

I would be interesting to ask that question to a foreigner and their response.

Good one!

Depending on the country of origin I wonder what kind of response you would get?Or the class the individual comes from?

WWWTT

[August1991]

I think the criteria should be examined and possibly tightened up.

Selon moi ? On s'entend, après tout. Huh?

My message to English Canada (ROC): yes this matters. Have patience: Vous ne pouvez pas imaginer !

Edited May 11, 2012 by August1991

[-TSS-]

I mentioned earlier Canada, Ireland and New Zealand living in the shadow of much better known and bigger neighbours. All three countries have in common that they are often viewed as what they are not rather than what they are.

[Scotty]

Yes it is.

It answersd the question with all the criteria needed.

I was born here = I am Canadian

My sister in law got her citizenship papers = She is Canadian.

Am I missing something?

If a cat gives birth on the stove does that mean she birthed cookies? Foreigners who are not permanent residents of this country should not have the ability to give citizenship to their children that they do not themselves possess. The idea that you gain the citizenship of the country you are born in is antiquated and comes from a time where travel was far more difficult. It was simply assumed that if you were born somewhere you were a citizen there. That's simply not the case now and this assumption has led to a lot of abuse.

[Rick]

here I thought this was a thread intended to discuss qualities/make-up defining Canadians... not just another anti-immigration/anti-refugee twirl around - go figure!

Their next step will be wanting the definition of a Canadian to be....must have blonde hair, Caucasian etc...

[dre]

If a cat gives birth on the stove does that mean she birthed cookies? Foreigners who are not permanent residents of this country should not have the ability to give citizenship to their children that they do not themselves possess. The idea that you gain the citizenship of the country you are born in is antiquated and comes from a time where travel was far more difficult. It was simply assumed that if you were born somewhere you were a citizen there. That's simply not the case now and this assumption has led to a lot of abuse.

Actually assigning citizenship by birth is a pretty good idea, and its pretty much a universal way to handle this. If we stopped doing it we would end up with a lot of non-citizens that nobody wanted to grant citizenship to at all.