Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - September 2009
The experts’ predictions have come to fruition as the first reports have surfaced of a child being born with no citizenship, after the recent changes to Canada’s Citizenship Act.
Last spring, the Canadian Government passed legislation that no longer guaranteed citizenship to children born outside of the country to Canadians who were themselves, in turn born outside of the country.
The legislation was supposed to prevent the “passing along” of Canadian citizenship to generations and generations of ex-patriots, who had no desire to return to Canada. However, from the outset, critics raised concern over the possibility of children being born outside of Canada, within the borders of a country that does not automatically grant citizenship, thus rendering the child “stateless.”
This June Rachel Chandler was born in China, to a Chinese-citizen mother and Canadian-citizen father. Both of her parents were born outside of Canada, but she has grandparents on both the maternal and paternal side who are Canadian citizens.
Because Rachel Chandler’s parents are not married, she is not recognized by the Chinese government, unless her parents are able to pay a “monster” fine.
This means that the girl has no legal recognition, no ability to travel outside of Beijing, no rights to education and no health care coverage.
The Canadian Government has suggested the family try to have the child recognized as an Irish citizen, since the father was born in that country. Ireland has indicated being open to this option.
The father, Patrick Chandler, is upset and hurt to find his daughter in this position and recommends that the Canadian Government change this legislation.
“I would tell him [Immigration Minister Jason Kenney] to push this bill to be amended, and add a time frame to it,” said Chandler. “If you have lived in Canada for X number of years and hold citizenship, then where you were born is irrelevant. That way, those of us with real ties would be able to pass along citizenship, and those of us without, would not.”
Source: Vancouver Sun
