Bill C-24 Second Reading on February 27th:

[zardoz]

The "citizenship of convenience" issue has been bubbling along for a long time, like magma under a volcano.
Now, we are seeing the eruption.

Are any of us truly surprised by the backlash?

There is a perception that Canadian citizenship is "easy"; and I guess that the "powers that be" want to change that.

 

[RAY2112]

So for example if a PR is residing for good in Canada, and he/she decided to take a vacation let say for one month outside canada. Does this affects his days calculation when he wants to apply for citizenship under new law. What I understand that a PR person should be physically present for 6 months for each year of the four years (24 month physical present). Along with that, what about the 6 months in each year, are these 6 month must be straight? or how it will be calculated under the new law for each year?

Thanks for the answers.

 

[zardoz]

Yes, a month away will affect the days calculation. Any time outside the country will be taken into account.

From reading the Bill C-24, I see nothing that states that the 6 months has to be continuous.

However, a lot of short trips is likely to cause an RQ (which I suspect will still exist after the Bill C-24 becomes law).

 

[RAY2112]

So if you did the calculation, you have to have 24 months physical present in Canada within the 4 years of 6 .
So if someone landed on 2012 he should wait until 2016 or 2018 to apply for citizenship under the new law.

Yes, a month away will affect the days calculation. Any time outside the country will be taken into account.

From reading the Bill C-24, I see nothing that states that the 6 months has to be continuous.

However, a lot of short trips is likely to cause an RQ (which I suspect will still exist after the Bill C-24 becomes law).

 

[thepolestar]

With the bill passing the commons very soon. It will be up to the Senators to take care. I see some of the senators on the committee have really a great intellectual background, elite and educated.

I hope if they will understand the right perspective and all the deformities and shortcoming of this bill and will do something for the right cause.

The Question is "Has senate been able to do some meaningful changes earlier to some of the controversial bills like C-24, where the government has not allowed even a single change in the bill at the committee level."

Let's see...

 

[zardoz]

So if you did the calculation, you have to have 24 months physical present in Canada within the 4 years of 6 .
So if someone landed on 2012 he should wait until 2016 or 2018 to apply for citizenship under the new law.

The absolute earliest would be 2016 if you never left the country at all. It's not 24 months. It's 48 months. See the actual text...

(c) is a permanent resident within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, has, subject to the regulations, no unfulfilled conditions under that Act relating to his or her status as a permanent resident and has, since becoming a permanent resident,
(i) been physically present in Canada for at least 1,460 days during the six years immediately before the date of his or her application,
(ii) been physically present in Canada for at least 183 days during each of four calendar years that are fully or partially within the six years immediately before the date of his or her application, and
(iii) met any applicable requirement under the Income Tax Act to file a return of income in respect of four taxation years that are fully or partially within the six years immediately before the date of his or her application;

 

[RAY2112]

Thank you for your time and answer.

The absolute earliest would be 2016 if you never left the country at all. See the actual text...

 

[Tolerance]

Prominent folks, those 60 academics who also wrote a letter to Harper:
http://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/20140603-Prime-Minister-Harper-Bill-C24.pdf

 

[zardoz]

With the bill passing the commons very soon. It will be up to the Senators to take care. I see some of the senators on the committee have really a great intellectual background, elite and educated.

I hope if they will understand the right perspective and all the deformities and shortcoming of this bill and will do something for the right cause.

The Question is "Has senate been able to do some meaningful changes earlier to some of the controversial bills like C-24, where the government has not allowed even a single change in the bill at the committee level."

Let's see...

Current Senate make-up... Do you spot the flaw in your optimism?

Standings in the Senate

Conservative Party 57
Liberal Party 32
Independent 7
Vacant seats 9
TOTAL 105

 

[RAY2112]

With The Canadian Bar Association, these Prominent Folks, and the 26K+ Petition, hopefully they could change the way of C-24 bill is going to be. No one wants the citizenship to be abused, we are proud and happy that we chose Canada, and we are looking forward to be true Canadians with the same rights that Canadians have.

Prominent folks, those 60 academics who also wrote a letter to Harper:
http://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/20140603-Prime-Minister-Harper-Bill-C24.pdf

 

[thepolestar]

Current Senate make-up... Do you spot the flaw in your optimism?

Sure, I see its hoping against hope. :-[ :-[ But what is the recourse.

The premise is that even though the composition of the senate is very obvious not it favor still the senators are not bound to act as politicians with respect to the compulsion of the political affiliation to which they belong. Hence if some of them hear the voice of the their conscience and the loud and clear voice of opposition parties and general feeling in public they might rise to this occasion.

I read somewhere that the BCCLA has proposed to lobby the Senators once the bill passes the commons. That would be the last try, I guess to change the course of the bill. :'( :'(

 

[Tolerance]

Looks like this will completely change the type of PRs coming in, maybe even reduce numbers in the medium to long run. Perhaps, that is what they want. Some profiling too ? I don't know what to say there.

All those who earlier landed, then went back and came back before the 2 out of 5 expired, all those sorts of things will pretty much be a thing of the past. With the reqmt to be here 183 days etc it will get tougher, for example, for people with families here where the man of the house finds better jobs overseas so his family can live with some dignity here. My heart goes out to such people...

Overall, looks like they want to cut down immigrants in the longer term (maybe fully knowing that many "Canadians" leave so just enough to make up the gap). Besides, the backlog scandal was big. I know people who waited overseas only to be told Sorry !

Wonder, if it is any consolation in the face of these double standards, that we should just be grateful we are here and go in thro the old FSW and other programs. Yes, some of us will be angry to varying degrees since we have to wait longer- esp. students and TFWs who are now PRs who will feel most let down and cheated for no pre-PR time being considered.

Meantime, unless, the Senate has some backbone and will do something.

Alexander likes to brag how they still get 300,000 apps a year, despite the scandals and everything (I added this last bit of course). With these changes, I expect a smaller naturalization percentage (if we believe Alexander, 89% now), and also not so many apps in the future. The word gets around now much better, engineers,architects, MDs living in poverty, considering themselves lucky to work night shifts in a factory.

 

[dandash]

There is another meeting today from 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM anyone knows what is it about ?

 

[Skakeholder]

There is another meeting today from 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM anyone knows what is it about ?

Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration
June 4, 2014 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. (EDT)
Meeting 32Committee meeting will be televised
1 Wellington Street, Room: C-110
Studies/Activities:
Subject Matter of the Main Estimates 2014-15: Votes 1 and 5 under CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION and Vo

 

[Tolerance]

Lysane yesterday:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2MiHEt7iC8