The Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act (French: Loi renforçant la citoyenneté canadienne, SCCA) is legislation passed by the 40th Canadian Parliament in 2014, under the direction of Minister of Immigration Chris Alexander.[1] The Act allowed the immigration minister to revoke Canadian citizenship from dual citizens for certain cases such as fraud, treason, espionage, and terrorism.[2]
| Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parliament of Canada | |
| |
| Citation | SC 2014, c. 22 |
| Passed by | House of Commons |
| Passed | 16 June 2014 |
| Passed by | Senate |
| Passed | 19 June 2014 |
| Royal assent | 19 June 2014 |
| Legislative history | |
| First chamber: House of Commons | |
| Bill title | Bill C-24, 41st Parliament, 2nd session |
| Introduced by | Chris Alexander |
| First reading | 6 February 2014 |
| Second reading | 29 May 2014 |
| Considered in committee | 4 June 2014 |
| Third reading | 16 June 2014 |
| Second chamber: Senate | |
| First reading | 16 June 2014 |
| Second reading | 17 June 2014 |
| Considered in committee | 18 June 2014 |
| Third reading | 19 June 2014 |
Content
editThe Act tightened the requirements for applying for Canadian citizenship by increasing the required length of physical presence in Canada by the applicant.[3] Canadian citizens who are dual citizens can have their citizenship revoked for fraud in obtaining citizenship, engaging in armed conflict against Canada, or being convicted of treason, espionage, or terrorism with significant prison sentences, by a citizenship and immigration minister instead of a judge.[2]
History
editBill C-24 was presented by Alexander in February 2014,[4] and received Royal Assent on 19 June 2014.[5] The Canadian Bar Association wrote a report[clarification needed] on the bill.[6] The Globe and Mail wrote that Alexander was "under fire" as the bill was set to pass.[1]
Zakaria Amara was stripped of his citizenship under the Act on 26 September 2015.[7] However, on 19 June 2017, Amara's Canadian citizenship was automatically restored following the passage of Bill C-6 of the 42nd Parliament of Canada,[8] which had been introduced by John McCallum and had the effect of deleting several of the SCCA's provisions most notably the terrorist grounds for revocation.[9]
The Act became a contentious topic during the 2015 Canadian federal election. Incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper stood on his record while Justin Trudeau and Tom Mulcair both said they would reverse the revocation clause.
Reception
editThe bill had elicited much controversy.[10] Experts told the Toronto Star in June that the bill was "discriminatory" and "weakens citizenship".[11] Academic Wesley Wark criticized the bill, saying "[it] is too much power in the hands of a minister."[12]
References
edit- ^ a b "Minister Chris Alexander under fire as citizenship bill poised to pass". The Globe and Mail. 12 June 2014.
- ^ a b "What dual citizens need to know about Bill C-24, the new citizenship law". CTVNews. 17 June 2015.
- ^ "New citizenship rules target fraud, foreign terrorism". CBC. 6 February 2014.
- ^ "Building a stronger Canada: The Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act". 19 February 2014.
- ^ "Bill C-24: 41st Parliament, 2nd session. Wednesday, October 16, 2013, to Sunday, August 2, 2015. An Act to amend the Citizenship Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts. Short title: Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act".
- ^ "Bill C-24, Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act". Canadian Bar Association.
- ^ "Canada revokes citizenship of Toronto 18 ringleader using new anti-terror law". 26 September 2015. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ "Immigration minister defends legislation that prevents convicted dual nationals from losing citizenship". National Post. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- ^ "Bill C-6 (Historical) | openparliament.ca".
- ^ "The Controversy of Bill C-24, Canada's New Citizenship Bill". 6 March 2015.
- ^ "Immigration experts say Bill C-24 discriminatory and weakens citizenship". 27 June 2014.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-september-29-2015-1.3248143/bill-c-24-up-for-debate-as-first-canadian-stripped-of-citizenship-1.3248282.
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