New citizenship law amendments - write to the members of parliament!!!

[lenovo]

A lot of people are worried or frustrated at the process.
But don't just do nothing. Write to your member of parliament and ensure that the process is to your favour.

Here are a list of people to write to:
1. Your local MP
2. The prime minister Stephen Harper
3. Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander
4. NDP MP Lysanne Blanchette-Lamothe (NDP critic on citizenship)
5. Liberal MP John McCallum (Liberal MP on citizenship

You can find their contact info and email addresses at http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseofCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC or by simply googling their names/websites.

Ensure that you include your address and contact number on your letter so they can respond.

Make sure your voice is heard.

 

[ramsfe]

I Agree with Lenovo!!!

It is very important that people voice their opinions, fears and objections!

They have to know that immigrants mean business, we are not just assets that the government can play with however it pleases to secure a few votes here and there!

 

[PMM]

Hi

I Agree with Lenovo!!!

It is very important that people voice their opinions, fears and objections!

They have to know that immigrants mean business, we are not just assets that the government can play with however it pleases to secure a few votes here and there!

How can you protest as the changes haven't been announced. At least wait until the Bill is introduced in Parliament to find out what the changes are.

 

[ramsfe]

Hi

How can you protest as the changes haven't been announced. At least wait until the Bill is introduced in Parliament to find out what the changes are.

Well, you can protest the fact that they are not communicating !
You can protest because the process today is weirdly managed, you can protest because we have ZERO transparancy !

and you can also protest so that the torries understand that we actually exist, politically !...


So yes, you can protest, and it is everyone's democratic duty to protest when things are not at least 100% as we would like to see them.

 

[eileenf]

How can you protest as the changes haven't been announced. At least wait until the Bill is introduced in Parliament to find out what the changes are.

Some of the most effective protests happen before any official announcements. The government has been floating ideas about this since the Throne Speech in innumerable "scoops" and stories in various newspapers. Part of the reason is to gauge reaction and frame the debate. If every call and every letter to the MPs and PM is from a xenophobe yelling to close the border or at least make us all wait for 50 years before we're citizens, than they're gonna go forward with a longer wait period and offer zero concessions in terms of greater transparency for applicants and the creation of universal maximum processing timelines and/or an ombudsman's office for citizenship. But if they get a lot of pushback from ethnic communities whose vote they are courting (specifically in suburban GTA ridings where the Tories will win or lose) than, sure as hell, they're going to soft pedal. So, especially if you live in a heavily immigrant riding (Mississauga East-Cooksville, Don Valley East, Etobicoke North, Richmond Hill, Willowdale, etc.) now is the time to contact your MP and let them know you and your community are paying attention.

It's notable that the recent stories have dropped the revocation of jus soli (birthright citizenship). Some better-connected refugee and immigration advocates have voicing significant pushback on this, and frankly, i suspect the non-political administrators of CIC have as well. The CIC has no internal capacity to administer the such complex determinations, much less the administrative appeals, lawsuits (possibly class action) and violations of international agreements that would inevitably result.

 

[links18]

Some of the most effective protests happen before any official announcements. The government has been floating ideas about this since the Throne Speech in innumerable "scoops" and stories in various newspapers. Part of the reason is to gauge reaction and frame the debate. If every call and every letter to the MPs and PM is from a xenophobe yelling to close the border or at least make us all wait for 50 years before we're citizens, than they're gonna go forward with a longer wait period and offer zero concessions in terms of greater transparency for applicants and the creation of universal maximum processing timelines and/or an ombudsman's office for citizenship. But if they get a lot of pushback from ethnic communities whose vote they are courting (specifically in suburban GTA ridings where the Tories will win or lose) than, sure as hell, they're going to soft pedal. So, especially if you live in a heavily immigrant riding (Mississauga East-Cooksville, Don Valley East, Etobicoke North, Richmond Hill, Willowdale, etc.) now is the time to contact your MP and let them know you and your community are paying attention.

It's notable that the recent stories have dropped the revocation of jus soli (birthright citizenship). Some better-connected refugee and immigration advocates have voicing significant pushback on this, and frankly, i suspect the non-political administrators of CIC have as well. The CIC has no internal capacity to administer the such complex determinations, much less the administrative appeals, lawsuits (possibly class action) and violations of international agreements that would inevitably result.

Nice post. Still, anti-immigrant sentiment is very high right now, largely because of Conservative stoking. The opposition looks like they have little stomach for a fight on lengthening the waiting period. The issue of transparency in the process doesn't even seem to be on anyone's radar. We still have a long way to go to move the needle.

 

[ramsfe]

Nobody is going to fight our battle for us !

And that's why we have to take the time to write to our MP's, to talk in the name of immigrants as a group as not about individual cases!

I am writting a letter to Justin Trudeau, my MP today, I am in touch with Alexandre Boulerice and Thomas Mulcair's offices here in Montreal. I won't hesitate to send a copy of this letter to PM Harper, to the Immigration critics of all the parties, to Elisabeth May ( green party), to Chris Alexander, and ironically to Jason Kenney too... if every one of us takes a few minutes to remind elected officials that we exist, we will make a change! it's time to start acting!

It would also be nice to remind Jim Flaherty about how much we contribute to the Canadian Economy and to the welfare of all those who are retiring today (in case you don't know, those who work finance the system for those who are not active anymore) , and to remind John Baird ( Foreign Affairs) that the reputation of Canada abroad is at stake... all of us have families abroad and all of us can be "ambassadors" to Canada abroad...

All of this to say that immigration and fair traitement of law abiding immigrants in Canada, whether they like it or not,should be one of the national priorities - if we, the immigrants, undermine our own contribution to this country, then we can't blame the torries for misleading us and treating us like scum ! It disgusts me ( understatement) when I read what some immigrants say on forums sometimes... they picture all of us as individuals who owe everything to Canada and who should accept whatever comes their way! To these people I say, YOU ARE A DANGER TO DEMOCRACY! If we are asking for Citizenship, it is because we are seeking to become an eternal part of this country - to partner with all its citizens in giving it the best future possible...and this starts with not accepting abuse!

 

[zardoz]

That's the perceived problem. There are a significant number of citizenship applicants that have absolutely no intention of "seeking to become an eternal part of this country - to partner with all its citizens in giving it the best future possible."
They want a "safety net" or a Canadian passport because they can earn better money when they abandon Canada.

 

[us2yow]

But, if somebody wants to have a better life later on and life takes them to a job overseas, there is no harm in that ! ?

I know Native Canadians who at some point move on and live overseas, find better opportunities (wherever it may be) and do well and find their way back here to Canada/family at some point. Is it a crime to do well and aspire to being in a better station just like the native Canadians can (regardless of race).

Isn't Canada a 1st world country that everyone (back then ? sigh ) wanted to come to because it was (is?) so progressive and open. Why one set of rules for the goose and another for the gander??!. Why are we becoming more uncool. That is so disheartening ! At some point then no one will want to come here that much anymore. If it becomes like a Bush-era place that suffocates instead of nurtures?....

We live in the 21st century and in a world that is more globalized than ever whether by choice or circumstance. We cannot afford to get boring and sit in passivity and politically correct smugness and let life go by. We have but one life ! (and the WE is every freakingbody...Native Canadian, PR, naturalized Canadian...the human race ! ).

 

[ramsfe]

In the 21st century, we live in a globalized world! You can be a citizen of a country and live everywhere else and still be an eternal part of your country of citizenship !

Personally, I will never give up who I am and who I will become ( a canadian citizen) will be a part of it, so i will be an eternal part of all my countries of citizenship ( and of the world...).

And no matter what, I refuse to get punished because some people are not honest!