Ottawa- On Thursday, Immigration Minister Mark Miller introduced a bill in the House of Commons aimed at allowing Canadians to pass citizenship rights to their children born abroad. This move could result in an unspecified increase in the number of new citizens.
In 2009, the government under former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper amended the law to prevent Canadian parents born outside the country from passing down their citizenship unless their child was born in Canada. Those affected by this change are referred to as “Lost Canadians.”
The new bill seeks to reverse this change, which was recently overturned by a court ruling, and extend citizenship by descent beyond the first generation born outside Canada. It would automatically grant citizenship to children born since 2009 who were impacted by the Conservative amendments.
“We’re a country that supports human rights, equality, and respect for all people,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in the foyer outside of the House of Commons after he tabled the bill.
Parents who were born outside of Canada will need to have spent at least three years in Canada before the birth or adoption of their child to pass on their Canadian citizenship.