Thank you.
Honourable members of Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, I am here today to speak to you not only as the president of the Coalition of Progressive Canadian Muslim Organizations, but more importantly as a proud Canadian.
I feel privileged to be invited back to offer my views on this very important bill. As a Canadian of immigrant background, I feel that we need to reform our system of immigration to close loopholes that have been abused over the years.
I came to this country from Pakistan as a child in 1967, years ago. My country of birth was experiencing much hardship. My parents, like any parents, wanted the best for their children. They brought us to safety and security in this country. What happened next is what makes Canada so great.
My experience is the embodiment of the immigrant experience. Nothing came easily to us. We worked, and we worked hard. With that hard work, doors opened, and opportunities came, and it is with great pride that I'm happy to say that we successfully built businesses here.
I know countless others from all over the world who have shared this immigrant experience in Canada. We all know too well that in this increasingly globalized competitive world we will continue to need immigrants from all stripes to spur our economy, to foster innovation, and to contribute, as did many countless millions before them, in building a stronger and more prosperous Canada.
Canada's stellar reputation is one way in which we can recruit the world's best and brightest. It is important, therefore, to ensure that immigrants to Canada possess not just the skills of tomorrow's economy but also a commitment to this country. We have to ensure immigration does not turn this country into ghettos. For too long, some new Canadians have turned this country's citizenship into a flag of convenience and have seen Canada's generosity as a sign of our weakness and lack of fortitude.
I believe that in this regard the proposal to extend the period of residency in this country to qualify for citizenship is a step in the right direction. Physical presence for four years out of the six years—or 1,460 days—and a minimum of 183 days of physical presence per year in four out of the six years is an important provision in this respect.
Anecdotally, there are far too many examples of people who have acquired citizenship through dubious means and without spending sufficient time in this country. Equally important, in my view, is the requirement that new immigrants demonstrate ties to Canada. The bill proposes to introduce an “intent to reside” provision, which will go some way in curtailing applications from those who have no desire to live and contribute to our great country.
The requirement for citizenship applicants to file Canadian income tax is a step in the right direction, but does not go far enough. I believe that even after the grant of citizenship, Canadians living abroad should be asked to demonstrate that they have contributed taxes to avail themselves of public services subsidized by the Canadian taxpayer. Who can forget the 50,000 Canadians who decided to flee Lebanon a few years ago as war erupted in that region, or, indeed, the people who come here as dependants and then are left on welfare funded by the taxpayer?
Some Canadians use this very citizenship and the passport that comes with it to engage in activities that are nothing short of absolutely contradictory to our strong Canadian values.
I think I'm boring Mr. Shory—