New Rules for Citizenship

[links18]

It looks like the Conservative party of Canada likes the US so much that they want to introduce and implement US style reforms. In the US you can't use pre PR days to count for citizenship application.

Ha, US actually talks about a path to citizenship for people who entered the country illegally. In Canada, they are trying to make naturalized citizen a second class citizenship. Who is outdoing who?

 

[links18]

Conservatives are happy that 60% of the country population do not bother to vote. Turn out rate for Tory base 65 years+...their voters participation rate is 85%, below that age group that might likely not vote conservative, their voter participation rate is below 45%, ......the status quo favours conservatives at the moment.

And yet they still lose over 60 percent of the vote. Canadian political system is broken.

 

[YorkFactory]

Anyone have a sample of the letter to send to MP to ask that they ammend the bill regarding the counting of pre-PR days ?

I'm not sure what you think that's going to do. Any amendments brought up by the opposition are going to be voted down, and they will only be able to delay it for so long before they run out of debate time.

 

[dalton]

Hi I'm just trying to understand what the changes will mean for me. I am just eligible for citizenship (or was). I have 1,110 day of residence, so I logged onto process it during the week and I see the fees have gone up to $400. What was the old cost? All I need to do is get my photos taken and send it off over the weekend. Will I be okay or could it be back dated. I should of sent it last weekend but got really busy, I've had the application filled out since before Christmas.

Went through so much stress with PR, I thought it was almost all behind me.

 

[YorkFactory]

The old cost was $200, but any application received on or after February 6 needs to have the new, higher fees included.

 

[kazemsd]

I know that lots of people asked when the bill will pass.
It all depends on the government. They have the majority and they can decide.
So, for some, the good news seems to be that "the government expects the bill to pass by the end of the year"

Apparently, this was mentioned in the "Media briefing" started on Feb. 6 at 10:30 am.
I could not find the record of the "media briefing". But, I found this link on CTV and it confirms the above statement.

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=288636
Listen from 1:18

I hope this is true!

 

[harry_aussie]

I personally don't mind paying 5 or 10 times the cost of current Citizenship application fee($400), but these guys need to be fair and fast atleast. Well this sounds like too much being asked from CIC.

 

[ScubaC]

Personally, This Bill is effecting me by the non-PR time not being counted. I came here as a refugee in 2010 and I got PR in 2013. So, that means all my time waiting for their system to work is now not going to be counted. I feel already having suffered trauma from fleeing on top of that being insulted or not being seen by the current government is heart breaking. I am truly for the first time disappointed in Canada. As she offered me shelter and has provided so much that I am grateful for...this....is a kick in the pants. Please start writing to your MPs ad start making our voice heard people! They can't NOT count days here. That makes NO SENSE in strengthening citizenship. How can spending time IN CANADA not count? Seriously ridiculous. Again....super disappointed. :'(

 

[Woodex]

Personally, This Bill is effecting me by the non-PR time not being counted. I came here as a refugee in 2010 and I got PR in 2013. So, that means all my time waiting for their system to work is now not going to be counted. I feel already having suffered trauma from fleeing on top of that being insulted or not being seen by the current government is heart breaking. I am truly for the first time disappointed in Canada. As she offered me shelter and has provided so much that I am grateful for...this....is a kick in the pants. Please start writing to your MPs ad start making our voice heard people! They can't NOT count days here. That makes NO SENSE in strengthening citizenship. How can spending time IN CANADA not count? Seriously ridiculous. Again....super disappointed. :'(

You are not alone CEC immigrants are affected as well. I don’t know how Canada will attract bright students around the world with this ridiculous law.

 

[canada.aspirant2013]

Will the new law be effective for the current PRs?
or it will be effective for only those who will become PR on and after the date of the enactment of the proposed bill? All the news/notification I have seen so far, none of them have clarified this matter.
Any clue?

 

[sashali78]

I have started a petition on Change.org right here:
https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/senate-of-canada-house-of-commons-mp-s-do-not-allow-the-discrimination-of-former-foreign-workers-by-the-new-canadian-citizenship-bill-c-24#

Please sign and forward to as many as you can. Share it on Facebook and Twitter. Once we have enough support and signatures we can forward it to media and MP's.

Thanks,
Alex

 

[links18]

Will the new law be effective for the current PRs?
or it will be effective for only those who will become PR on and after the date of the enactment of the proposed bill? All the news/notification I have seen so far, none of them have clarified this matter.
Any clue?

You current PR status is unlikely to exempt you from the new requirements after the bill becomes law.

 

[links18]

I'm not sure what you think that's going to do. Any amendments brought up by the opposition are going to be voted down, and they will only be able to delay it for so long before they run out of debate time.

Well, there could be some political horsetrading on this. Granted, that is not exactly this government's style, but it may just be in their interests to get some opposition votes for it, so there is a possibility that some amendments could be made to get opposition support--if the government wants to give the new law more credibility. Maybe we can get some process to set service guarantees, an Ombudsman, etc. out it. Probably not, but who knows?

 

[Woodex]

Will the new law be effective for the current PRs?
or it will be effective for only those who will become PR on and after the date of the enactment of the proposed bill? All the news/notification I have seen so far, none of them have clarified this matter.
Any clue?

I dont think existing PR will be exempted from the proposed bill. In fact, we are not sure if this law will pass in the house.

There are 5 stages bill has to pass through before becoming law.

The committee stage is the harder because they will study each clause of the law. Everybody should relax 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

 

[canada.aspirant2013]

You current PR status is unlikely to exempt you from the new requirements after the bill becomes law.

But becoming a permanent resident of Canada was an informed choice for the current PRs.
As of today, the citizenship rule says, "As a rule, you must be a PR of Canada for three years and actually residing in Canada in the year immediately preceding your application for Canadian citizenship.". Also, the pre-PR one year count was also assumed before becoming a PR.
It can be validly argued that if the PR applicants were informed otherwise, the choice could be a different one.