July 2010, Update to Bill C-37
The Hon. Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal MP, has tabled a private members bill (Bill C-467) to amend the Citizenship and Immigration Act to allow some individuals (children of Canadian diplomats and the armed forces) to be exempt from the restrictions placed upon them by Bill C-37.
We are excited that steps are being taken to amend the act but this bill does not go far enough to include the average proud Canadian living and working abroad.
Read the Bill here: Private Members Bill C-467
Read the debate in the House of Commons here: Extract from Hansard
The Honorable Ujjal Dosanjh has made it clear that he is open to be convinced to further amend his bill and has accepted an offer from the association to sit down to a discussion. On Friday, July 23rd we will be visiting with Mr. Dosanjh at his constituency office in Vancouver and are looking for your assistance. Here’s what you can do.
- 1) Tell us a story or two:
- a. What is your story? How does Bill C-37 affect you?
- b. Do you know of a Canadian that was born abroad and is still living outside of the country? How does this person contribute to Canada economically, culturally or politically?
c. Do you know of a Canadian that was born abroad or someone that has had children abroad but now lives back in Canada? How do they fell about living with the potential consequences of Bill C-37 looming over their heads?
- 2) Write to Ujjal Dosanjh.
- a. His Address:
6408 Fraser Street Vancouver, British Columbia V5W 3A4
Telephone: (604) 775-5323 Fax: (604) 775-5420
Email: Dosanjh.U@parl.gc.ca
- 3) If you have friends or relatives living in South Vancouver, tell them to write to Ujjal Dosanjh, he is their MP.
Hello,
In addition to the “real-life” stories, I think you should make a legal argument to Ujjal Dosanjh. That is, the new Citizenship law would not withstand a Charter challenge.
The constitutionally-enshrined Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the following:
EQUALITY RIGHTS
15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination
MOBILITY RIGHTS
6. (1) Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in and leave Canada
Re: Equality Rights: Why is it that the bloodline of Canadian government workers continues to transmit Canadian citizenship, but the bloodlines of all others does not? This is blatant inequality. If a Canadian is working in the private sector and moves abroad, their citizenship is not transmitted to the second generation, while for government workers it is. How can the government justify the inequality?
Also re: Equality Rights: Canadians who are born with “non-transmissible” citizenship (if they do not themselves have their children in Canada) are NOT equal citizens!
Re: Mobility Rights: While all Canadians theoretically have the right to leave Canada, a member of a generation affected by the new law cannot enjoy this right if they wish to transmit citizenship to their children. Therefore for a whole class of Canadians, mobility rights are in fact frustrated by the new Citizenship law.
Best regards.
We have an online community of almost 500 people who are affected by this bill. The “Lost Canadians” Online http://www.lostcanadians.org