Ottawa to unveil changes to how people can get, lose Canadian citizenship

theglobeandmail.com
Feb. 25, 2016

The federal Liberals are to reveal today how they’ll undo the previous Conservative government’s controversial changes to the Citizenship Act.

The most hotly debated element of the Conservative amendments was a provision to strip people of citizenship if they were convicted of crimes such as treason or terrorism and also held citizenship in another country.

Opponents said this created two classes of citizens.

The move sparked particular outrage in ethnic communities fearful that, over time, the criteria to revoke citizenship would expand to include convictions for lesser crimes.

Attacking the bill was a key element of the Liberals’ election strategy in heavily diverse ridings and they promised to overhaul the law.

During the campaign, the Conservatives moved to revoke the citizenship of a member of the so-called Toronto 18, a group of men convicted for plotting to place bombs in Southern Ontario, but the matter is still before the courts.