Evidence of meeting #5 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was c-3.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
On a point of order, this Liberal keeps interrupting us and trying to silence us. He knows better. I was told he's been an MP for 10 years or something. He knows better than to interject with debate on inanities during my colleague's time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dzerowicz
Thank you, Ms. Rempel Garner.
Mr. Redekopp, we'll restart the time. Thank you.
Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
If we have children, that's fine. They should easily pass the security test. What about those who are older? Are you saying that people who have violent criminal pasts or terrorism-related backgrounds are just going to be given citizenship through this pathway?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Again, I want to go back to the reason for this legislation. It was struck down as unconstitutional. The limits in it went against the charter.
We are here, and we are putting limits on Canadian citizenship. We are trying to create a balance. People have to establish a substantial connection to Canada with the number of days and have proof of that. Again, we are here to right a wrong, and it is a right for a lot of people to have citizenship.
Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Minister, the courts did not tell you how to do this. They said you needed to do something, but the method you're using is of your own choosing. You are choosing to not put security in here.
You also seem pretty confident that there are a lot of children in this. Does that mean you have numbers to prove how many of these will be children versus adults?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
If you do the math, as the department has done, based on the years we are using, a lot of them would have been born after 2009.
Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
I have one last quick question. Can you assure Canadians that no terrorists will become citizens through this legislation?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Again, these are people who are already citizens. Had it not been for—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dzerowicz
Thank you, Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Redekopp.
We will now go to our next questioner, Mr. Sameer Zuberi, for five minutes.
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses for being here.
I want to ask about a hypothetical situation. I don't know if it is encompassed in this act. I want to give a scenario that everybody can understand.
Let's say somebody chooses to have their career outside of Canada. They have a family, and their child is born outside the country. Later on, this child has their own family and comes to Canada to live here. If they come to Canada with a minor child—let's say they're four years old—they cannot pass on their citizenship. They can pass it on only to children born in Canada in the future.
What happens to the four-year-old, and how do they become a citizen?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Thank you for that question, Mr. Zuberi. I'm going to have the official answer that specific scenario for you.
Director General, Citizenship Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
There are two parts to the bill. One is if the child has already been born versus in the future, if the child has yet to be born.
If the child has already been born to a Canadian parent beyond the first generation, they would automatically become a citizen by operation of law. However, in the future, on or after the bill's coming into force—so we're talking about a child who is yet to be born—as long as the Canadian parent can demonstrate a connection of 1,095 days, they can pass on their citizenship to the child beyond the first generation.
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
How did you come to the number of 1,095? What's the rationale for that?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Settlement and Citizens, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The 1,095 days, as we mentioned, are reflective of the requirements that are also set for naturalized Canadians, who also have to meet 1,095 days to obtain citizenship.
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
On the issue of lost Canadians, do you see that this bill will remedy in whole the concern of lost Canadians and respond to the court's requirement?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Yes, that is why the bill is drafted. It has a number of objectives, one of which would be to remedy citizenship status for those who are affected by the 2009 law. Then it would establish a revised framework for citizenship of descent going forward, as you were just explaining. Obviously, there's a comparable treatment for adopted children as well.
Lastly, it does clarify some citizenship legislation. Maybe not everybody wants to be a Canadian, so it also gives the process whereby you can renounce. There's a renunciation process. It also clarifies for everyone exactly what the rules are if you wish to pursue those.
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Thank you.
How will you determine that the 1,095 days have elapsed or been satisfied?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
I'll try to do the best I can here. I think Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe asked the same question.
Officials will take a look at whether the person has lived in Canada, if there are mortgages—well, mortgages won't do it—or leases, documentation, entry-exit out of Canada, or if they spent the summer in cottages. In Nova Scotia, we have lots of cottages. People come in the summertime quite a bit and bring their children. There are many facets one can look at. Of course, I hope we would have officials taking a look at that.
I would suspect it might be kind of similar to when you look at the 1,095 days before you get your citizenship, if you're already in Canada after you've been a permanent resident. There might be some similarities there as well, but there would be a lot of differences, given that some people may be abroad as well.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dzerowicz
Thank you. That ends that round.
Thank you very much, Mr. Zuberi.
Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I want to quickly come back to the program that tracks exits, which you told me about. If I understand correctly, it was put in place around 2019-20. That's what I found on the Internet.
Director General, Citizenship Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
It's not a program that I'm responsible for, so it would be inappropriate for me to speak to the details of it.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Okay. I'm told it's since 2019. I take it that prior to 2019, Canada wasn't tracking exits. Consequently, in your efforts, Minister, you should take into account the fact that for the period before 2019, it will be difficult to show that the people affected by Bill C‑3 actually spent 1,095 days on Canadian soil, since exits weren't tracked before this program was put in place. I suggest you take an interest in it.
Countries like Denmark, Portugal, Spain and Sweden have included language requirements for citizenship by descent in their respective legislation. You know how important language is in Quebec. Do you think these countries are on the wrong track when they require proficiency in their official language in order to become citizens by descent?