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MONTREAL - The Harper Conservatives have laid out plans to revoke 26 times more Canadian citizenships than all previous governments — combined.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said Friday his department is looking to pry citizenship away from more than 2,100 people he believes cheated the system. That total has climbed from 1,800 when the initiative was announced last July.
By comparison, Kenney said only around 80 individuals have been stripped of their citizenship between 1947 — when the Citizenship Act came into effect — and this year.
Canadian citizenship did not exist before the Act, meaning citizens of Canada, by both birth and naturalization, were British subjects.
Kenney described the sweep as the biggest citizenship-fraud crackdown in Canadian history.
"This is by far — by many orders of magnitude — the largest enforcement action ever taken in the history of Canadian citizenship," said Kenney, who spoke from a podium adorned with a sign that read: "Citizenship Not For Sale."
The federal government is monitoring 4,400 permanent residents believed to be involved in residence fraud, in case they try to obtain citizenship.
Kenney said nearly 1,400 of these individuals, most of whom are outside the country, have since withdrawn or abandoned their residency application because of the heightened scrutiny.
In total, the government is investigating 6,500 people from more than 100 countries for their allegedly fraudulent attempts to become Canadian citizens or maintain permanent resident status.
To become a citizen, a permanent resident is supposed to have lived in Canada for three years in a four-year period. Permanent residents must be physically present in Canada for two years out of five to retain their status.
Kenney warned of "crooked" immigration consultants who are helping others take advantage of the system while reaping payoffs that can reach $25,000 from a family of five.
These advisers allegedly offer to help foreigners meet residency requirements and acquire Canadian citizenship without ever having to live in Canada.
"If you are a consultant involved in selling Canadian citizenship fraudulently to people and creating fake proof of residency — we are on to you, it's just a matter of time," Kenney said.
He said people pay these consultants to help them assemble false proof of residency, such as renting them an apartment that may, or may not, exist.
In one case, Kenney said investigators opened the door of one phoney address to find a brick wall.
"Our intention is not to make it too difficult for law-abiding people to become citizens," said Kenney, adding that Canada has the highest rate of immigrants in the developed world who go on to become citizens.
"We have a very fair and relatively easy process, but the whole point here is for those people who legally obtain it we must protect its value."
Kenney said his department has been working with the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency and foreign Canadian offices. When asked, he could not put a price tag on the project.
The Tory government's blitz is still in its early stages and no citizenships have been revoked yet, a department spokeswoman said. Since April, around 200 warning notices have been issued to the suspected citizenship fraudsters.
An individual who receives a notice, which outlines allegations against them, has 30 days to request the matter be referred to Federal Court.
The department also said a child who receives citizenship based on fraudulent actions of their parents will also lose their status, unless the youth was born in Canada.
When this plan was first announced in July, Kenney said the government intended to cancel the citizenship of at least 1,800 people who allegedly used fraudulent means to become Canadians.
NDP foreign affairs critic Helene Laverdiere didn't have objections Friday to the crackdown, but was surprised Kenney re-announced a strategy he unveiled last summer.
"It's a bit mind-boggling," she said in Ottawa. "Maybe they want to repeat that they are tough on crime."
Liberal interim leader Bob Rae also deemed it a re-announcement, saying the Tories are just "pouring on the rhetoric" for their "Reformist base."

   

YAY... FUCKING... TEAM!!!!! It's about time.

   

I don't have a problem with cracking down on immigration fraud, but I hope they are careful about who they investiagate and warn that they might revoke their status.

My wife went through the process to become a permanent resident (not at all easy, as Kenney claims) and it is unbelievably stressful. I can't imagine what it would be like if they said they were investigating you for a possible fraud case, and they might be deporting you in 30 days.

Also, I sure hope they're going after the crooked immigration consultants, as well.

   

Indeed, don't take away citizenship based on suspicions, wait until you have more credible proof than you "believe" they did it. I believe Harper is a fascist in disguise, does that make it true?

   

Nah, just means you been hanging around the orange kool-aid stand too much


j/k

   

That's because I saw shep piss in the blue one.

   

Good thing I hate kool-aid no matter the flavour

   

Bob Rae said the Conservatives were "just pouring on the rhetoric". He has some good lines sometimes, which is what you'd expect from someone with his years of experience.

   

About time. Immigration stressful? The only bit I found stressful was realisation that its soooo easy to get.

You don't need to speak English or French, or study too hard for the piss-easy 'exam'. No judge speaks to you, in fact nobody even interviews you. Most criminal convictions don't stop or even slow the process down.

Hand over the cash and you get a nice dark blue passport.

Stressful my arse.

   

It's a whole lot different when the immigrant is a single woman trying to et papers here. Yah, it's stressful!

   

they do warn you. They give you 30 days to respond. And they are going after consultants. Both bits of info given right in the story.

   

In total, the government is investigating 6,500 people from more than 100 countries for their allegedly fraudulent attempts to become Canadian citizens or maintain permanent resident status.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said Friday his department is looking to pry citizenship away from more than 2,100 people he believes cheated the system.

I believe they're doing exactly what you ask, and will put forth the evidence for their belief when the case goes to court. They just forgot to present you with the evidence.

   

Why Yogi? Tell me more. You a single woman who immigrated to Canada?

   

So true.

When we went to see the judge he had me fix his computer then we chatted about this and that, soooo easy.

   

I realize that they give you a 'warning' - I just meant that I hope they are absolutely sure those that they 'warn' are fraudulent for sure, rather than warning people that they suspect of being fraudulent, then forcing them to prove their innocence.

And I know that they say they are going after consultants - I just hope they actually do.

And Eyebrock - I was actually referring to the permanent residence portion of the process. While I realize it isn't exactly on the topic, it is still dealing with immigration, and was just saying that dealing with immigration can be very stressful - during the application process they won't even answer questions like 'Did you get my application' and 'If I leave the country, I can I still get back in'. Sorry I didn't make it clear what I was getting at.

   

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