The House of Commons immigration committee is recommending most adults eligible for birthright citizenship under the “Lost Canadians” bill fulfil similar requirements to immigrant applicants on language, knowledge of Canadian history and security checks.
MPs on the committee adopted amendments on Tuesday to Bill C-3, which will go back to the House of Commons for approval.
The bill responds to a 2023 Ontario Supreior Court ruling overturning a Stephen Harper-era law which prohibited Canadians born aboard from passing down citizenship if their children were not born in Canada.
Asked about the government’s bill that would grant citizenship by descent to ‘Lost Canadians,’ Justice Minister Sean Fraser says Canada should maintain birthright citizenship. The comments come after a parliamentary committee passed changes to the bill that would recommend most adults eligible for citizenship under the bill to fulfill language and security requirements.
The bill proposes that in such situations, citizenship can be passed down if the individual can demonstrate a substantial connection to Canada by spending at least 1,095 cumulative days (three years) in the country.
Conservative amendments added the language and other requirements, as well as to put a restriction that the 1,095 days must occur within five consecutive years.
The government has a court-mandated deadline to pass the legislation before midnight on Nov. 21, otherwise government officials say an unknown number of people will automatically become Canadian citizens.
