The Canadian Government is facing challenges from Parliament as it tries to move ahead with controversial citizenship reforms.

Immigration Minister Chris Alexander this week called out opposition party members for being “offside with Canadians who recognize the immense value of citizenship and the importance of protecting its integrity.”

Alexander was referring to public statements made recently by both the Liberal party and the New Democratic Party indicating their intention to vote against the bill, which received only two hours of parliamentary debate this week.

“I think it’s obvious [Alexander] doesn’t want Canadians to understand this bill; the more Canadians do understand it, the less they’ll like it,” said Liberal immigration critic John McCallum.

Critics of the reforms say that new residency requirements will make it harder for skilled workers to gain citizenship, particularly those who must travel frequently in responding to the demands of the global marketplace.

The bill also contains stronger consequences for those charged with terrorism, treason and spying. But sparking perhaps the most concern are the unprecedented citizenship revocation powers the Canadian government would have.

Despite these controversial points, the government had expected the bill to go quickly into a second reading. However, it does now look like there will be more debate on Bill C-24 in the coming weeks.

Source: Calgary Herald