The ultimate in citizenship of convenience, tourism citizenship. It's a gross abuse of the system.
Ten years ago I would have disagreed with this, but now, I agree. A person cannot be born in a country, leave, and then call themselves a citizen of that country. They will not know the language, culture or customs, so they aren't Canadians.
If I was working in China with a non-Chinese wife, had a child born in China, no one in China would consider that child to be a Chinese citizen. Same for so many other countries. Whatever is given away too cheaply, debases the product. Ten years ago the term citizenship of convenience didn't exist, now it does, for good reason.
Changes would take away automatic citizenship | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
Changes would take away automatic citizenship
51
By Mark Dunn ,Senior National Reporter First posted: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 05:46 PM EST | Updated: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 07:23 PM EST
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/02/22/changes-would-take-away-automatic-citizenship#
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Kenney says his department is not sure how widespread the problem is of foreign women duping the system by coming to Canada on tourist and visitor visas for the sole purpose of having a child.
"This is not a new phenomena. We have been aware of this happening for some time," Kennedy said in Vancouver where he announced changes to speed up the recognition of foreign credentials.
"In fact ... hospital administrators in Montreal have raised the problem with me ...in that they have seen a growing number of people ostensibly as visitors giving birth to children and immediately leaving without paying their hospital bill."
Kenney was reacting to reports in Canada and Asia that pregnant Chinese women are coming to Canada to have a baby so the child is a citizen.
The Chinese fraud is mostly based in Hong Kong where bogus immigration agents are coaching wealthy mainlanders how to keep their pregnancies hidden while entering Canada.
All babies born in Canada are considered citizens - meaning they could return later in life as students, for example, and sponsor their parents under family reunification applications. Many other countries do not grant automatic citizenship to babies born to foreigners.
Kenney could not say if the problem is widespread outside the Chinese community.
"We don't want people to get the idea that citizenship is a way to get a passport of convenience, that Canada is a country to be exploited," he said.
Opposition politicians said any changes being considered should be brought before Parliament, and not left for the minister to arbitrarily implement as he has done in the past.
"Allow politicians from all political parties to weigh in on the issue as opposed to 'Gee whiz, I hear about this, I want to glorify the issue and I want to talk tough,"' said Liberal immigration critic Kevin Lamoureux.
Kenney's officials say the matter will be brought before the Commons citizenship and immigration committee before changes are made.
Ten years ago I would have disagreed with this, but now, I agree. A person cannot be born in a country, leave, and then call themselves a citizen of that country. They will not know the language, culture or customs, so they aren't Canadians.
If I was working in China with a non-Chinese wife, had a child born in China, no one in China would consider that child to be a Chinese citizen. Same for so many other countries. Whatever is given away too cheaply, debases the product. Ten years ago the term citizenship of convenience didn't exist, now it does, for good reason.
Changes would take away automatic citizenship | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
Changes would take away automatic citizenship
51
By Mark Dunn ,Senior National Reporter First posted: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 05:46 PM EST | Updated: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 07:23 PM EST
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/02/22/changes-would-take-away-automatic-citizenship#
Report an error
Related Stories
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- Tories to crack down on 'bogus refugees'
- Immigration in the face of globalization
- Pregnant Chinese women conning immigration system
Kenney says his department is not sure how widespread the problem is of foreign women duping the system by coming to Canada on tourist and visitor visas for the sole purpose of having a child.
"This is not a new phenomena. We have been aware of this happening for some time," Kennedy said in Vancouver where he announced changes to speed up the recognition of foreign credentials.
"In fact ... hospital administrators in Montreal have raised the problem with me ...in that they have seen a growing number of people ostensibly as visitors giving birth to children and immediately leaving without paying their hospital bill."
Kenney was reacting to reports in Canada and Asia that pregnant Chinese women are coming to Canada to have a baby so the child is a citizen.
The Chinese fraud is mostly based in Hong Kong where bogus immigration agents are coaching wealthy mainlanders how to keep their pregnancies hidden while entering Canada.
All babies born in Canada are considered citizens - meaning they could return later in life as students, for example, and sponsor their parents under family reunification applications. Many other countries do not grant automatic citizenship to babies born to foreigners.
Kenney could not say if the problem is widespread outside the Chinese community.
"We don't want people to get the idea that citizenship is a way to get a passport of convenience, that Canada is a country to be exploited," he said.
Opposition politicians said any changes being considered should be brought before Parliament, and not left for the minister to arbitrarily implement as he has done in the past.
"Allow politicians from all political parties to weigh in on the issue as opposed to 'Gee whiz, I hear about this, I want to glorify the issue and I want to talk tough,"' said Liberal immigration critic Kevin Lamoureux.
Kenney's officials say the matter will be brought before the Commons citizenship and immigration committee before changes are made.