Let me offer my two cents (although pennies are no longer acceptable in Canada!)
Canadian citizenship is not a right! Perhaps not even a right to a privilege!
However, the rights which should be of focus are those regarding the rights of good faith applicants to be treated fairly, consistent with statutes, case law and CIC regulations (such as OB 407-D).
Whenever an errant CIC officer is derelict in his/her duties, and improperly and erroneously condemns a case file to the "non-routine" purgatory, then rights are involved. Fundamental rights are the steps in the path to citizenship. Although there are those who argue that citizenship is not a right, I challenge them to argue that applicants have no rights that citizenship officers adhere to statutes and CIC regulations!
Why do good faith applicants fear scrutiny? I invite, even demand the utmost level of scrutiny, because my qualifications are impeccable.
When an errant citizenship officer neglects due scrutiny, and with no knowledge of the case file, whatsoever, consigns it to the "non-routine" stack, not to be reviewed for 2 or 3 years, the aforementioned rights have been violated, and there is quasi-legal and legal recourse.
Friends, please avail yourselves of concrete rights, as I have mentioned, rather than illusory rights, such as "rights to notification", "rights to vacations", etc. I urge everyone to familiarise themselves with the CIC regulations, starting with OB 407-D, rather than wasting your time spooking each other, with rumours of rumours, or conflicting statements made by well-intentioned, yet uninformed call centre representatives.
Incidentally, for those of those on the "cusp", you may want to consider that a "cushion" of 5 days, or a "mattress" of 5 years, is statutorily the same. In fact, an errant citizenship officer might send an RQ request to the latter because he/she found an extended delay to file an application to be suspicious, since one meets the qualification of physical presence at 1,095 days. An attempt to apply logic, in lieu of knowledge of statutes, rules and regulations would be highly counterproductive!
Our case files were sent to the "non-routine" perpetual stack, because of a truthful, innocuous response made to a Nexus officer that we had made day trips to the United States. Per official CIC instructions, day trips are not to be reported on the CIT0002, nor on the Residence Calculator.
Remember, "Bureaucracy is as bureaucracy does. When in doubt, follow the rules! Otherwise, pray that your citizenship officer will follow the rules, as well, because even if he/she disobeys the rules, he/she will be safe from any repercussions for 3 to 4 years, when the case file is finally reviewed, and it is reclassified as "routine"!
