Bill C-71

An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2024)

This enactment amends the Citizenship Act to, among other things,
(a) ensure that citizenship by descent is conferred on all persons who were born outside Canada before the coming into force of this enactment to a parent who was a citizen;
(b) confer citizenship by descent on persons born outside Canada after the first generation, on or after the coming into force of this enactment, to a parent who is a citizen and who had a substantial connection to Canada before the person’s birth;
(c) allow citizenship to be granted under section 5.1 of that Act to all persons born outside Canada who were adopted before the coming into force of this enactment by a parent who was a citizen;
(d) allow citizenship to be granted under section 5.1 of that Act to persons born outside Canada who are adopted on or after the coming into force of this enactment by a parent who is a citizen and who had a substantial connection to Canada before the person’s adoption;
(e) restore citizenship to persons who lost their citizenship because they did not make an application to retain it under the former section 8 of that Act or because they made an application under that section that was not approved; and
(f) allow certain persons who become citizens as a result of the coming into force of this enactment to access a simplified process to renounce their citizenship.

Self-determination of the Tibetan People

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, consultation has taken place, and I believe that if you seek it you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.

That notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practices of the House, Bill C-71, an act to amend the Citizenship Act, be deemed to have been read a second time—

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

The bill sets out the date that the legislation but not the regulations would come into force. In a bill such as this, is it possible to stipulate that the regulations on age verification must come into force before a specific year?

We worked on Bill C‑21, but the regulations that followed the passage of the old Bill C‑71 weren't even in force yet. It took several years for that to happen.

How can we make sure that the government works quickly on an age-verification system if this bill ultimately passes?

Citizenship Act

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-71, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2024).

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)