Ottawa urged to remove citizenship by birth on Canadian soil

[alp227]

Source: Toronto Star

Immigration officials have recommended that Ottawa remove citizenship rights to babies born in Canada to non-citizens and non-residents even though the small number of cases doesn’t justify the costs.

The proposal, marked “secret” and with inputs from various federal departments, found fewer than 500 cases of children being born to foreign nationals in Canada each year, amounting to just 0.14 per cent of the 360,000 total births per year in the country.

The issue of citizenship by birth on Canadian soil once again raises concerns among critics over the current government’s policy considerations being based on ideologies rather than evidence and objective cost-benefit analyses.

“An impartial observer would conclude that the evidence supports no need for change, given the small number of cases. Yet the recommendation supports the government’s public rhetoric and anecdotes on the need for change,” said Andrew Griffith, a former director general for citizenship and multiculturalism at Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and author of Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias.

Read more: http://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2014/08/18/ottawa_urged_to_remove_citizenship_by_birth_on_canadian_soil.html

[Joe Shlabotnik]

1. Red meat for the base n/t

[DRoseDARs]

2. Why would they want to rescind citizenship for all of the white people?

OH, right, got it... This is targeted at the "mud races" because ZOMG scary non-whites!

O, Canada. Not you too...

[whistler162]

9. I blame Ted Cruz....

some idot Canadian, redundant , got scared when they realized Ted Cruz could claim Canadian citizenship.

[area51]

13. +1 n/t

[pampango]

3. “A move to end automatic citizenship for babies sends xenophobic messages to the public,” the letter

said. “Such a legislative change would send a message to newcomers about whose children count and whose children are not welcome. It would reinforce feelings of exclusion and marginalization making integration even more difficult.”

Reached regarding Ottawa’s renewed attempt to change the law, Janet Dench of the Canadian Council for Refugees said, “Citizenship by birth in Canada is an important part of the Canadian identity and makes us a better society. When the previous government suggested changing that principle in the 1990s, we found that many Canadians agreed with us that it was a bad idea. It is still a bad idea.”

The Conservative government overhauled the Canadian Citizenship Act earlier this year by further restricting eligibility. However, the “birth on soil” provision was left intact and required further studies.

[groundloop]

4. This news makes me feel better in one way -

We (the US) aren't the only country with a right wing that wants to enact knee-jerk legislation that's not supported by facts.

[DonCoquixote]

5. geeesh what happened

Can Harper really have transformed canada this bad?

[Bragi]

12. Yes, he rules like an autocrat

Despite the fact that he won with 38%, and now has support from 25%.

[DonCoquixote]

15. I used to think Parliamentary govt might be good

But it seems that the Plutocrats have figured out how to hack it as well.

[freshwest]

6. It's the same propaganda Paul Ryan uses to justify repealing the 14th Amendment.

Which also includes Due Process and Equal Protection Under the Law. Think what our lives would be without that.

He promises his followers if they turn enough state legislatures red they will hold a Constitutional Convention and repeal of a lot of the Amendments.

Just as the Koch brothers want to have done.

[LloydS of New London]

7. Dontcha get it?

Harper wants to help Ted Cruz.

[Thor_MN]

8. Retroactive bid to get rid of Cruz?

Andy Griffith?

[kelliekat44]

11. You may be on to something. nt

[KamaAina]

14. Andy Griffith was Canadian?

Eh?

[kelliekat44]

10. Trying it out in Canada before it becomes law here? nt