Canadian Citizenship

Harder to get and easier to lose"

Andrew Griffith
Association of Canadian Studies/
Canadian Ethnic Studies Association Conference
24 October 2015

Agenda

Policy context

Statistics

2010 Changes and impact

2014 Changes and expected impact

Longer-term implications and transition advice

2

Conservative Government
Context

Fearless advice and loyal implementation

breakdown

Ministerial certainty vs. arrogance of the expert

Sharper ideological/values divide

Evidence and anecdote

Centre of gravity and priorities

3

Policy Context
Global vs Local

Citizenship: Facilitation vs. Meaningfulness

Multiculturalism: Accommodation vs. Integration

Shift towards meaningfulness and integration

Citizenship Take-up
Foreign-born by Place of Birth, Eligible
Europe
Southern Asia
Latin America
Africa
East and SE Asia
West Central Asia, Mid-East
Caribbean
United States
Oceania
625,000
Canadian Only

1,250,000
Dual Nationals

1,875,000

2,500,000

Non-Citizens

Citizenship
Visible Minorities, Eligible or Not
Total VisMin

22%

Southeast Asian

14%

Black

18%

Chinese

19%

South Asian

20%

Japanese

24%

West Asian

25%

Arab

28%

Latin American

30%

Filipino

32%

Korean

37%
2%

Not VisMin
25%
Canadian only

50%
Dual nationals

75%

100%

Non-Citizens
6

PRs, Applications, Citizens

2004 to 2014
300,000

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Permanent Residents

Applications

New Citizens
7

Citizenship Take-Up
6 Years Since Landing vs All Years Since Landing 2014
80%

79%

79%

76%

73%

71%

67%
62%

60%

57%
49%

40%

56%

50%

20%

2000

2001

2002

2003

6 Years Since Landing

2004

2005

2006

44%

47%

2007

2008

All Years Since Landing

8

60%
N
ov
D 10
ec
Ja 10
n
Fe 11
b
M 11
ar
Ap 11
r
M 11
ay
Ju 11
n
1
Ju 1
l1
Au 1
g
Se 11
p
O 11
ct
N 11
ov
D 11
ec
Ja 11
n
Fe 12
b
M 12
ar
Ap 12
r
M 12
ay
Ju 12
n
1
Ju 2
l1
Au 2
g
Se 12
p
O 12
ct
N 12
ov
D 12
ec
Ja 12
n
Fe 13
b
M 13
ar
Ap 13
r
M 13
ay
Ju 13
n
1
Ju 3
l1
Au 3
g
Se 13
p
O 13
ct
N 13
ov
D 13
ec
Ja 13
n
Fe 14
b
M 14
ar
Ap 14
r
M 14
ay
Ju 14
n
1
Ju 4
l1
Au 4
g
Se 14
p
O 14
ct
N 14
ov
D 14
ec
Ja 14
n
Fe 15
b
M 15
ar
Ap 15
r
M 15
ay
15

Citizenship Test
Monthly Pass Rates

100%

90%

80%

70%

2011
2012
2013

Monthly Rate
9

2014

6 Month Moving Average

Impact 2010 Changes

Percentage Decline by Country of Birth
2010-13 and 2014 Compared to 2005-9
Caribbean
South Asian
Southern & East African
West Asian & Mid-East
Central & West African
Latin American
North African
East & SE Asian
South European
East European
Oceania
French
West European
British
North American
North European

Overall Pass Rates

2005-9

96.3%

2010-13

82.7%

2014

90.3%

-20%
-15%
Percent Change 2010-13 from 2005-9
10

-9%
-4%
2%
Percent Change 2014 from 2005-9

Changes 2010

Emphasis on history, military,

responsibilities

More rigorous knowledge

test

Language pre-assessment

Anti-fraud

11

2014 Citizenship Act

Residency and Testing

Longer residency (4 out of 6), physical presence

From honour system to residency

questionnaire

Intent to reside

Knowledge and language required 14-65

Tax returns
12

2014 Citizenship Act

Business Processes

Removal of citizenship judges

Ability to cancel incomplete applications

Electronic means to verify citizenship.

Soft commitment one year processing

13

2014 Citizenship Act

Fairness

Lost Canadians fix

Fees from $100 to $530

Revocation

Fraud: Ministerial discretion

Terror and Treason and dual nationals

14

Radicalization Examples
Dual vs Canadian Nationality
Dual Nationals

Canadian Only

Canadians charged by the RCMP but Ferid Ahmed Imam

AhmadWaseem
still at large

Maiwand Yar
Hasibullah Yusufzai

Canadians reported to be fighting or MohammedAli

supporting extremists abroad, but not Sami Elabi
Um mHaritha
charged

Collin Gordon
Gregory Gordon
John Maguire

OmarHassan
MohammadIbrahim
Abu Dujana al-Muhajir
Farah Mohamed Shirdon

Canadians accused of possible

terrorist links by other countries

FakerBoussora
AbderraoufJdey
Amer El-Maati
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips

Recent trials

Hiva Alizadeh
Misbahuddin Ahmed
(revocation proceedings
initiated)

John Nuttal
Amanda Karody
Carlos Larmond
Ashton Larmond
15

Implications

Burden on low-income, less educated and

refugees

Further reduction in naturalization rate

Weaker due process

Challenges to revocation as unconstitutional

likely
16

Broader Issues

Dual nationality, diaspora politics and loyalty

Global mobility vs. belonging competitiveness

Declining naturalization rate and increased

proportion of non-citizens

Other: Voting rights, Birth tourism, Niqab ban

17

New Government
Rebalancing (1)

Preserve increased integrity and efficiency measures

Citizenship test question rotation

Physical presence for residency

Language assessment

Filing Canadian tax return

1 stop decision-making model

abandoning incomplete applications

Early symbolic changes

Reduce fees from $530 to $300

Cancel Court revocation proceedings for dual nationals

Administrative changes

New Citizenship Study guide (replace Discover Canada)

Set and report on service standards (one-year)

18

New Government
Rebalancing (2)

Legislative changes

Abolish intent to reside provision

Restore pre-Permanent Resident time half-credit

Revisit requirement for 14-17 years olds to be tested for

knowledge and language

Revisit citizenship decision making model (restoring GiC/

Court role or allowing for oral hearings)

Remove revocation provisions for dual nationals for terror or

treason
19

Other

Machinery change unlikely (unadvisable)

Strong or weak minister?

Relative priority of citizenship vs immigration and

refugees

CIC organizational structure

20

Andrew Griffith
Email:

agriffith232@gmail.com

Twitter:

@andrew_griffith

LinkedIn:

andrewlgriffith

Facebook: Andrew Griffith C&M

Blog:

www.multiculturalmeanderings.wordpress.com