Mr. Speaker, it is good to rise in the House again after some time in my riding speaking with constituents and hearing directly from Canadians. It is always a privilege to stand here and debate legislation that touches not only on national policy but also on the very fabric of what it means to be Canadian.
We are debating Bill C-3, an act to amend the Citizenship Act. This bill speaks to Canadian identity itself and to the value of Canadian identity. Let us be clear. Canadian citizenship is not just a piece of paper or a passport. It is also a promise. It is a promise of loyalty, commitment and shared responsibility. It represents hard-won freedoms and responsibilities that generations of Canadians have defended and cherished.
Conservatives have always believed that citizenship must be fair, secure and meaningful. It must reflect a genuine connection to this country, not just in words but also in participation and commitment. Unfortunately, Bill C-3 undermines these principles.
There are parts of the bill we do support. We agree that the adopted children of Canadian citizens born abroad should be treated equally with biological children. That is fair, just and long overdue. We also agree that the injustice done to lost Canadians, those Canadians who fell through the gaps in the law through no fault of their own, must be corrected. These are people who grew up here, worked here, paid taxes and lived as Canadians and who should never have been in doubt. Fixing those wrongs is the right thing to do.
However, where this bill fails, and fails profoundly, is in its removal of the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent and its replacement with a flimsy so-called substantial connection test. That safeguard, introduced by the previous Conservative government in 2009, was put in place for good reason. We saw, in 2006, what happens when citizenship can be passed down endlessly without connection. During the Lebanon conflict, thousands of Canadians of convenience, people with little or no real ties to Canada, sought evacuation at enormous cost to Canadian taxpayers. Nearly $94 million was spent bringing 14,000 people to safety, many of whom returned abroad as soon as the crisis ended. That incident showed us the danger of limitless citizenship inheritance. The first-generation limit was a necessary, reasonable measure to protect the value of Canadian citizenship. Bill C-3 throws that safeguard out the window.
Under the Liberals' new connection test, a parent could pass on citizenship if they lived in Canada for just 1,095 nonconsecutive days at any point in their life. That could mean three years spent here decades ago as a student before moving abroad permanently. That is not a substantial connection. It is one under the Liberals' plan, but it is not a real substantial connection. This is a brief chapter, not a life, yet this bill treats it as equal to the lifelong commitment of Canadians who build communities, raise families and invest in our future here. It is not fair, equal or responsible. What message does this send to newcomers who follow every rule, study for and pass the citizenship test, meet the residency requirements and undergo full security checks? These individuals invest years of their lives in Canada before earning citizenship. Meanwhile, under this bill, others could inherit citizenship automatically without ever paying taxes, speaking an official language or engaging in Canadian society. That is a two-tier system and it devalues the hard work of genuine immigrants.
There are also serious security implications. Bill C-3 does not require a criminal background check for those inheriting citizenship under this so-called connection. Conservatives proposed reasonable amendments to address this, including measures to exclude those with serious criminal records. The Liberals voted them down. At a time when Canadians are concerned about public safety, this is entirely reckless.
Let us be clear about the costs. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has warned that this change could create over 115,000 new citizens almost immediately, many of whom live permanently abroad, but we have no idea what the real numbers are. Processing these cases will cost at least $21 million up front, with far higher long-term costs to health care, pensions and other services. Canadians who work hard and pay taxes their whole lives will be asked to subsidize citizens of convenience who have never contributed a dime to our country.
Meanwhile, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is already overwhelmed. Constituents across this country tell us about endless delays for visitor visas, family reunifications and citizenship ceremonies. The Ontario Superior Court has even ruled that the IRCC has a 50% error rate in processing, yet the Liberals want to add tens of thousands of new cases with no plan, no resources and no clear analysis of the impact.
Peer countries are far more cautious. The United States, United Kingdom, France and Italy all limit citizenship by descent to the first generation abroad. Canada is an outlier under this Liberal scheme and not in a good way. As immigration lawyers and experts have warned, this bill is a reckless response to a flawed court ruling and extends citizenship far beyond any reasonable connection.
Canadian citizenship is precious. It is not an insurance policy for those who want to live abroad and return only when trouble strikes. It is not a convenience for those who want benefits without responsibility. It must mean more. Conservatives oppose aspects of this bill because it cheapens Canadian citizenship, undermines fairness and exposes taxpayers to enormous risk. We do not even know what the extent of the risk is because no analysis has been done. We support targeted reforms for adopted children and lost Canadians, but we reject the removal of the first-generation safeguard.
Former Liberal minister Lucienne Robillard once said that we ought “to share our citizenship with those who want it and work hard to deserve it.” Conservatives agree. Canadian citizenship must be earned, not given away like candy or Liberal promises. Citizenship is not just a document. It is a commitment to Canada, its people and its future. Only common-sense Conservatives will ensure that it remains strong, meaningful and respected around the world.
