Bill C-24 would undermine rights to citizenship

As Canadian citizens, we have a right to justice, equality and fairness under the law. No one is above the law, including those elected to formulate it. Bill C-24, ironically named the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, changes these basic assumptions in important ways, most critically by removing decision-making powers from independent courts and replacing it with the entirely subjective discretion of the immigration minister.

Under current immigration laws, naturalized Canadians can lose their citizenship only if they acquired it by fraud or through misrepresentation. If the immigration minister decides to revoke someone’s citizenship, the person then has the right to a hearing before the Federal Court. The Federal Court is independent of the immigration minister and offers a fair procedure to determine the veracity of the minister’s claim.

Bill C-24, in its current form, significantly expands the immigration minister’s discretion to revoke citizenship to individuals involved in armed combat with Canada and those convicted of certain criminal offences including treason, spying and terrorism either in Canada or on foreign soil. While some may argue that these are not unreasonable reasons for revoking citizenship, this is particularly troublesome from a rule of law perspective.

Once citizenship is obtained it becomes a right, not a privilege. There is no question that the offences listed in Bill C-24 are serious crimes. However, these crimes are appropriately punished by the criminal justice system. Handing the immigration minister the authority to unilaterally punish persons by revoking citizenship, also known as banishment, is unfair and discriminatory.

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/06/16/bill_c24_would_undermine_rights_to_citizenship.html