The current system actually does not count all of the time; there's a one year cap. It's not like we're allowing people before they become a permanent resident to live 10 years, for example, and then automatically become a citizen. We have a very reasonable system right now. I find it contradictory to say that we want to strengthen the residency requirement. As Mr. Attia said, you will want people to prove they have ties to Canada, but at the same time we are denying the right of people who have ties to Canada to count those times that they have already established in their residency. Many of them, such as people who are in the Canadian experience class, we lure to Canada based on the hope that they will one day become citizens and that we are recognizing the time before they become permanent residents. But now we're taking that away. So I think that will also potentially have an impact on who is going to come and apply to be an international student or a Canadian experience class immigrant. All of those will be affected as well.
On May 12th, 2014. See this statement in context.