To finally put to rest all the speculations about when the implementation DATE on bill c24. Today, I finally receive a reply from the Minister's office. Although a definite date was not provided, I was given more than enough information about when some of the bill will be implemented.
Dear Mr. ****:
This is in reply to your correspondence of March 10, 2015, addressed to Mr. Chris Alexander, Canada's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, concerning the implementation of Bill C-24. I regret the delay in responding.
As you are aware, Bill C-24 received royal assent and the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act became law on June 19, 2014.
The date of Royal Assent is when Parliament passes a bill and the date of Coming into Force is when the proposed changes in the bill are actually in effect. Coming into Force can occur either on the same day as Royal Assent or at a date to be determined by the Governor in Council. Various elements of the new Citizenship Act will come into force at different times over the next two years.
While Bill C-24 received Royal Assent on June 19, 2014, and some provisions came into force immediately, others were expected to come into force in approximately one month. Certain other provisions were expected to come into force in approximately a year's time. The later dates for coming into force will allow the Department enough time to prepare for implementation of these changes.
Provisions coming into force on a date to be determined by the Governor in Council, anticipated to be in approximately a year, include: provisions to give citizenship to more “Lost Canadians”; new residence requirements; the new intent to reside requirement; expanded age requirements for language and knowledge testing; and a requirement to demonstrate knowledge of Canada in an official language. Other provisions in this category include: strengthened offences and penalties for fraud; prohibitions for foreign criminality and activities against national interests; a new revocation model and new grounds for revocation of citizenship; a new authority to designate a regulatory body for citizenship consultants; and improved information-sharing authorities.
These will come into force on a date to be determined by the Governor in Council, which is expected to be in approximately mid-year 2015, to enable sufficient time to prepare the changes needed to implement these and other provisions of C-24.
For more information on the changes contained in the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, and for further announcements concerning the coming into force dates, please visit the CIC Website at www.cic.gc.ca.
Thank you for writing. I trust that this information is of assistance.
Ministerial Enquiries Division