Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. We appreciate the opportunity to present to members of this committee on behalf of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the advocacy agency of the Jewish Federations of Canada. We are a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization representing m

Citizenship and Immigration committee  For me, it really reflects competing imperatives. I recognize the force of that argument, of the position the government has staked out. I still think there are circumstances in which the breach is so fundamental that it requires some other remedy that we have to put into place.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Mr. Chairman, he opened the door. Can I take 30 seconds to respond?

Citizenship and Immigration committee  The difference between the two is that the child is the product of the relationship. In the case we're talking about, it's the individual who is taking upon herself or himself independent actions that are an affront to the partnership they entered into.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  The chairman will be very pleased with this response because it's brief: yes.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I'm not sufficiently familiar with the arguments they're advancing to offer comment, I'm sorry.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I wouldn't disagree. I think there's a compelling case to be made for putting into place the kinds of protocols that would ensure that while there's sufficient flexibility to distinguish between, with some nuance, different kinds of misrepresentation and context and so forth, tha

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I think the case for action against those who wilfully commit fraud in the application process is more straightforward and an easier case to make. I think the ability to consolidate the process in terms of appeals that can be presented by the defendant would be helpful in ensurin

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I am not insensitive to that particular challenge and the exchange you had with Prof. Winter. I recognize that this, too, is a difficult issue. I also recognize the mandate of the current government and its expressed intent with respect to this issue. For us, it is almost a phil

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I listened very carefully to what Mr. Edelmann said. I'm actually not sanguine or insensitive to the points he raises. I don't propose that these are easy issues with easy solutions. I'm also mindful of something Professor Winter said, which frankly I'd not fully considered, ab

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I think none of the issues that are being raised are very simple or lend themselves to easy kinds of solutions. What you are implying is correct insofar as we do want a balance between benefiting from a degree of confidence that those who express an interest in securing Canadian

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Okay. I have actually just one more paragraph. The government has articulated a different position on this issue. We respect the mandate they received to do so and acknowledge the compelling arguments that have been made for why the law should not distinguish between dual nation

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you. I am grateful to be here representing the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the advocacy agent of the Jewish Federations of Canada, to discuss Bill C-6. As I noted in my testimony before this committee regarding Bill C-24, Canadian citizenship is one of the most v

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Very briefly, the Law of Return was a basic law passed, really, at the establishment of the state in 1948. It was done partly as a way of reflecting the experience that Jews had in Europe. They codified those categories of individuals who would be entitled to automatic citizenshi

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I hope, Madam Chairman, that I'm not going off too far afield here, but our community deals with many controversial issues, not least of which is the ongoing Arab-Israeli dispute. One of the concerns we have had—and this is by no means a blanket statement about any particular gro