Aviator

The federal government believes some 1,800 people have obtained their Canadian citizenship through fraudulent means and it intends to revoke their status.

el_richo

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=725678

canadian_critic

Up until this point, only 67 have had their citizenship revoked since 1867!!! Those in the 1800 have never or rarely lived here, just sponging off tax payers, and apparently many are living in tax havens so not even paying tax on earnings. I hope other countries follow Ottawa's lead

macadian

Probably the tip of the iceberg.......

In addition, anyone who emigrates to Canada...gets citizenship and thereafter through their criminal activity receives a federal sentence (2 years or more) should have said citizenship revoked...and deported to country of origin on completion of sentence.

Bring on the bleeding hearts.....

Alan2005

No. All citizens should be equal in the eyes of the law. You can't have a two tiered justice system where one set of people suffer different consequences to another set of people for the same crimes.*

Edit: *Well apart from one based on wealth, or social status, or race. That's perfectly acceptable apparently.

Aviator

But if citizenship was acquired by false declaration then it would be invalid. So are they losing something they were never entitled to in the first place?

Alan2005

I agree. If the citizenship itself was obtained fraudulently then revoking it is the right thing to do.

macadian

My sense of fair play would tend to agree with you, however, perhaps a condition of gaining citizenship should contain a caveat that warns if that person engages in criminal activity thereafter resulting in a Federal sentence, then said Citizenship can be revoked....and the individual returned to country of origin on completion of sentence? We have enough 'home grown' Crims' without importing them IMO.....

It will never happen of course...far to sensible....

iaink

That sort of applies to PRs already, but what are you going to do with canadian born canadians? Push them out on an ice flow?


If people get citizenship through misrepresentation, then by all means take it away, but I dont see that you can have a system with 2 classes of citizenship one for those born here and one for those acquiring it via residency, it would completely miss the point of citizenship which is that you now "belong" permanently.

Souvy

The 2-class system seems to be quite popular in the job market.

macadian

providing you behave yourself.....(after gaining citizenship from PR)

Best i'm not the Minister for Immigration.eh?....

Christian

I regret, I have to agree. Anything less and there would be literal 2nd class citizens.

CanadaJimmy

Yeah, I can't say I'm particularly comfortable about Canada revoking citizenships, doesn't really feel right, even if the people misrepresented themselves. Surely this should have been found out during the year long wait?

There was something a while ago where that Russian spy woman had her UK citizenship revoked, but considering she committed crimes against the state that's a bit more reasonable.

el_richo

I sense fear in this post

CanadaJimmy

Haha, well it's not a nice feeling that the gov't can swoop in and take your citizenship away, though it does sound like there are hearings where those being targeted can defend themselves at least. I don't think I personally have anything to be afraid of but it just goes against that whole thing of once you have citizenship you can completely relax I suppose.