07) STOP BILL C-24 - DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES!

 

Statement of the Central Executive Committee, Communist Party of Canada, Feb. 26, 2014

 

            The Communist Party of Canada joins with the labour movement and other democratically‑minded people and organizations in condemning the Tory government's new Citizenship Bill C‑24.

Disguised as legislation to combat crime and "rationalize" citizenship criteria, C‑24 extends shocking new powers to the federal Cabinet to strip Canadians of their citizenship rights.

 

            Once this door has been opened, it will become much easier for governments to use such powers for purely political purposes. The effect would be to turn the clock back to the historic periods when Canadian governments openly used racist and reactionary immigration and refugee policies to bar certain categories of people from entering the country, or to deport "trouble‑makers" for refusing to stay silent about abuses of corporate or government power.

 

            Bill C‑24 would have the most serious immediate impact on so‑called "dual citizens" ‑ those who, knowingly or otherwise, are citizens of both Canada and another country. The Bill would allow the government ‑ not the courts ‑ to unilaterally strip citizenship from any Canadian ‑ naturalized or native‑born ‑ who has been convicted in any country of a "terrorist offence" and sentenced to at least five years in jail.

 

            Yet thousands of people born in this country may be dual citizens without even understanding their status. Many countries automatically treat the children or grandchildren of their nationals as citizens, regardless of birthplace. One such country is Egypt, which classifies children of Egyptian‑born fathers as citizens of Egypt, regardless of their birthplace.

 

            This fact is significant because it could be used to strip former child soldier and Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr of his Canadian citizenship. Khadr has been the target of a vicious vendetta by the Harper government. Now serving an eight‑year sentence after being convicted by a U.S. military court, based on outrageously framed‑up "evidence", Khadr was born in Toronto. Since Khadr's late father was born in Egypt, he could be among the first victims of Bill C‑24. In fact, the government would not even have to prove Omar Khadr is a dual citizen; under the terms of Bill C‑24, he would have to prove he is not a dual Canadian‑Egyptian citizen.

 

            Such absurdities could be repeated with depressing regularity by governments conducting the so‑called "war on terror." To this day, the Conservative government is deporting former members of the FMLN, El Salvador's liberation movement against fascist military regimes, even though Canada has full diplomatic relations with the democratically‑elected FMLN government of El Salvador. Over twenty years after Nelson Mandela walked free from an apartheid jail, the Canadian government still treats diplomats who are members of his governing ANC party as suspicious, often making it difficult for them to enter Canada. These two examples alone prove that the provisions of C‑24 are wide open for arbitrary interpretation and abuse by governments with a far‑right, racist agenda.

 

            There are also serious problems with other changes announced this month by the federal Citizenship Minister. These changes add new barriers to those seeking immigration or refugee status.

The wait period for permanent residents in Canada will be extended, making them wait longer before they can apply for citizenship and become fully participating members of Canadian society.

The very onerous Residence Questionnaire will be imposed on more applicants, adding to long processing delays.

 

           Refugees face an increase in fees, up to $400 effective immediately. Language and knowledge test requirements will be extended to more applicants, now to include all those from 14‑64 years, from the current 18‑54 years.

 

            Such barriers to citizenship have a particular impact on refugees who have suffered persecution and long years of deprivation. 

 

            For all these reasons, the Communist Party of Canada urges defeat of Bill C‑24, and the reversal of the growing number of barriers to those seeking refugee and immigrant status.

 

(The above article is from the March 16-31, 2014, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)