Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak about Bill C-3 and the transformative power of Canadian citizenship. At the heart of it, the bill is about Canadians, families, their histories, their sacrifices and their deep and abiding connection to Canada, no matter where their careers or lives may take them.
Since second reading, the immigration committee has completed its review of the bill, heard from many witnesses and brought forward many amendments. As we approach its final passage, I want to highlight why the bill, as drafted, remains the right path forward.
Citizenship is about more than just legal status; it is about belonging to a diverse and welcoming community where shared democratic values bind us together. These values remind us of who we are. They remind us that Canada remains a beacon of light and hope in the world. They remind us that our strength as a nation lies not in uniformity but in our ability to celebrate difference by working together toward a common good, around shared values and shared aspirations.
My parents came to the country because they had little choice. They were lucky that Canada chose them. They came to the country under very difficult circumstances. They would bleed for the country. They would die for the country if that was required of them, because Canada has given them everything. Canada gave them the ability to practise their professions, practise their faith and raise their kids.
With an alignment with values and an alignment in the commitment to community, we take care of our neighbours and believe in the best in all of us. We work together despite our differences, and celebrate those differences, in an era when diversity is looked upon negatively. We look at those differences as an opportunity for strength and use that strength to communicate and connect with the rest of the world and trade with the rest of the world. We find that in our differences, there is remarkable strength and there are opportunities to learn from and about each other. Through that, we can learn about the complicated world in which we live.
My parents taught me from a very young age that citizenship does not just bring rights; it brings responsibilities. That is what we need to be talking about today. We need to talk about ensuring that there is a common understanding of what it means to be a Canadian citizen. It means a commitment to a set of principles and values and to ensuring that, even as migration and mobility are fixtures of modern life, the sense of connectedness to what Canada means is not lost.
Many people who were born in the country, like me, sometimes forget the value of what it means to be a Canadian citizen. Ask anyone who has come to the country and fought for that citizenship, and whose families have fought for that citizenship, what it means.
Where a person is born or how they acquire their citizenship makes them no more or less of a citizen. We all share pride in being Canadian. Those of us who were born here are extremely lucky. It does not mean this value is diminished because of where we were born, whether we were born here or elsewhere.
The modern world takes us to different places. I have had the privilege of living in different countries and studying in different places. I have always come back to this country because it is my home. Others are not so lucky. They end up living in other countries for long periods of time, but their ties to the country and their love for the country do not change.
We have to stop placing a value judgment on what the litmus test is for someone's love and care for and their connectedness to the country by determining that, somehow, birth decides that. There are people born in the country who denigrate Canada every single day. They say the country is broken and they would rather we be part of the United States. There are people who are Canadian and live miles away from this country, and they take such tremendous pride in what this country means and what it stands for.
Our job is to ensure that people who have the right or should have the right to be Canadian citizens through the means articulated by our laws are afforded that opportunity and that those rights are not taken away. Canada already leads the world in so many different areas, particularly in showing the world how successful immigration can work. As some countries' access to immigration is tightened and as the rights to citizenship get tightened, Canada's approach is principled, embraces diversity and ensures the economic prosperity and global ties that make us stronger as a country.
We all know that Canadians live and work abroad, working in the arts and sciences, education, economic development, international development and diplomacy. These citizens maintain deep links to Canada, returning to raise their kids, to work, to study, to care for loved ones and to build community. Ensuring that their children, whether born or adopted abroad, can share in that identity is not just about fairness; it strengthens our country's cohesion and our global reach.
We all know from experiences in our own communities what new Canadians have told us about how important their citizenship is to them, what it means to them, how becoming a citizen has had an impact on them and the ways that we have to continue to safeguard the rights, responsibilities and shared values of citizenship. For those of us from all parties who have attended a citizenship ceremony, we know that it is a moment of deep pride for those who are taking that oath to this country. It is the pride in calling Canada home and the journey that they took to get here. It marks the culmination of years of sacrifice, hard work and perseverance. Often, sacrifices are made not just by the individual but by an entire family, many of whom will never see Canada. It is a moment of great connection to community, opportunity and, indeed, something greater than oneself.
Those of us who have seen the emotional weight of this moment will never forget it. Newcomers, often with their kids by their side, hold their certificates tightly, knowing what it means to them and to their family's future that they will have the security and confidence of being able to be called Canadian. This feeling of pride goes well beyond borders, with people around this world longing for the opportunity to call Canada home. For those fleeing conflict, persecution or hardship, Canadian citizenship represents a new beginning and a beacon of hope to all. It is a privilege that they do not take lightly. The gratitude expressed by new Canadians is profound. We all hear it in our streets and our communities. They speak with pride about the opportunities that Canada has given them when it comes to education and when it comes to building a peaceful life.
These pillars of Canadian society are the cornerstones of a better future, not just for new Canadians but for their children and for future generations. Whether it is through volunteering, participating in local cultural events or simply getting to know their neighbours, new Canadians are active participants in strengthening the fabric of our society. They embody the spirit of Canadian generosity, and they contribute to the success of their community in many ways. Their stories remind us of why the rules that govern citizenship by descent must be fair, must be clear and must be rooted in the lived experiences of Canadians everywhere.
It is up to us as a government to remain vigilant in ensuring that Canadian citizenship remains a powerful symbol of inclusivity, fairness and security. That is why we have brought forward the bill. It is to ensure that access to citizenship by descent remains fair and transparent. At a time when misinformation and division can threaten confidence in public institutions, Canada must show that its commitment to fairness extends well beyond borders.
It is a time when members opposite are saying that it is a good idea to consider a moratorium on immigration. That type of rhetoric does not help when trying to make important decisions for the future of this country. We are talking about extending access to citizenship beyond a first generation. What we are affirming is that Canadian identity is shaped not only by the place of birth but also by connection, contribution and shared values.
The bill would remedy the status of people who would have been Canadian if not for the first-generation limit. It would also create a new forward-looking framework for citizenship by descent. Going forward, children who are born or adopted abroad beyond the first generation would be able to access Canadian citizenship if their Canadian parent can show a substantial connection to Canada. This is not a free-for-all. This is something that is going to be a real set of criteria. As long as a Canadian parent born or adopted abroad has accumulated three years of physical presence in Canada before the birth of the child, their child could be a citizen of this country.
Throughout the committee study, members explored different ways this model could apply. However, at the end of the day, what this is about is fairness. It is about fairness for Canadians. It is about fairness for those who were adopted by Canadians, and it is about fairness for communities who have put their roots down in this country.
We know that citizenship is a profound milestone for those who obtain it. It is a privilege that comes with opportunity and with gratitude, but it also comes with responsibility to uphold the values that unite us. Our job in this House should not be to divide Canadians. It should be to explain to people meaningfully what it means to be a Canadian, to ensure not only that those values are well inculcated but also that the rules of this place do not diminish the status, the stature and the value of one Canadian in relation to another.
