@armoured is absolutely right in saying that Canada couldn't protect these citizens in the event of problems in their home countries, particularly arrest. This is nonsense. There shouldn't be categories of citizens; we're not second-tier citizens. Legally, all Canadians are equal, and have the same duties and rights...
The right to consular assistance is one of them.
But it's sad to see that Canada, on its official website states the following:
( See here :
https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/emergency-info/consular/canadian-consular-services-charter ).
"If you are a dual citizen and traveling in the other country where you hold citizenship, local authorities may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services, thereby preventing Canadian consular officers from providing you with those services. See Traveling as a Dual Citizen for more information."
And even in the small print notes in the passport, there is a paragraph suggesting that consular protection could be restricted in cases of dual citizenship.
All of this outrages me: Are we second-class citizens? ... This shouldn't exist, and is against the laws and the Canadian Charter (Constitution).
You have both misinterpreted the specifics and missed the entire point. No-one denies that Canadian citizens all should have equal rights and treatment with respect to government services. This includes to consular services.
But the key point you are eliding in your discussion above: the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms does NOT apply to other governments. Canada has - by treaty/international law with other countries - only specific and quite limited* consular rights, which are defined. (Note, I'm using the term 'consular rights' here very loosely, this is not the same usage as in the Canadian charter.) Canada cannot insist that other countries apply the Charter - or indeed Canadian law in general.
And as has been explained separately, by international law, countries have no consular rights with respect to their citizens (eg Canada with respect to Cdn citizens) in a country where that Canadian also holds citizenship. Literally Canada can only request to be allowed to assist (provide consular services). It's so clear that this is not a right that it's (informally but consistently) referred to as simply a 'courtesy.'
The host country (host meaning in which Canada has embassy/consulate) can simply refuse, ignore, etc., by making reference to international law**; they are 100% 'in their right' (legally) to refuse. They do not even have to 'recognize' in any way that you are a Canadian citizen - if their domestic laws say it's not a thing ...then as far as they are concerned, you are simply NOT a Canadian citizen. (Separate story but Canadian law mostly doesn't recognize other nationalities, either - but Canada typically extends the consular courtesies on request.)
That's the entire meaning. That's the sense in which they say (on the inside back page of the Canadian passport) this [other nationality] 'may limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide you with consular service.'
Canada is not denying you anything - they will ask for consular access and the like (and they often try quite hard) - but Canada has no right to do so (again: Canadian law and charter of rights and freedoms don't apply to other countries).
You can be angry about this. You can yell at the clouds, too. But it does not make sense to be mad at the Canadian government about it, and any argument that
Canada is violating your rights or making you a second-class citizen is misplaced. Criticize that other government.
This is why I wrote in short, simple terms: if you (anyone, but obviously more relevant to former protected persons) return to your country of origin,
you should assume the Canadian government cannot help you. To assume anything else would be dangerous. For anyone who knows about it to suggest otherwise would be malpractice.
Again, if that country considers you a citizen and chooses to prosecute you criminally or otherwise: Canada can do nothing, legally.
* Consular assistance: it should go without saying that there are other warnings in the passport to heed. As a Canadian in any other country, you're not immune from local laws. And most importantly, people massively overestimate what consular assistance means and how much it can help.
Consular assistance is extremely limited in practice, even where it is recognized. For criminally related matters, it mostly is limited to right to visit from time to time, and right to assist in ensuring that the subject is treated *no more badly* (eg in court trials, detention conditions) than anyone else in the country.
** This is sometimes referred to the Master Nationality Rule, a phrase I dislike personally (as it implies for some that one nationality is more 'important', when reality is quite different - the other nationality is simply not recognized); plus in my own experience, the term is just not used much. But as a shorthand, whatever, the principle remains the same: host country does not have to recognize other nationalities of its citizens. This is considered established [customary] international law.
