Globe & Mail: Public Safety Minister set to table new version of strong borders bill after slew of criticism

The NDP’s public safety and immigration critic, Jenny Kwan, has also expressed serious concerns about the bill and, at its second reading debate last month, called for it to be withdrawn entirely.

The bill has yet to progress to its committee stage or to the Senate. But as this is a minority government, it will need the support of MPs from other parties to push it through.

Parliamentary papers that indicate future business in the House of Commons show that Mr. Anandasangaree is due to present another strong borders bill within days.

An analysis by the Library of Parliament, reported by The Globe and Mail in August, warned that the government’s proposed strong-borders legislation risked infringing on Canadians’ Charter rights if passed, including the right to be treated equally under the law.

The study by experts at the library, which carries out research for MPs and senators, also noted that Bill C-2 could lead to discriminatory profiling and targeting by law enforcement and that some of its provisions – including a proposal to allow Canada Post to open letters – would jeopardize the privacy of Canadians.

Click link to read the news story - https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-strong-borders-bill-c-2/

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Toronto Star: Mark Carney’s Liberals welcome MP who crossed the floor as the hunt for budget support continues

But two New Democrats from the NDP’s seven-member caucus — which could play a critical role in helping or blocking the budget’s passage — suggested Wednesday they would be hard-pressed to support the document, even as interim leader Don Davies told the Star his party needs more time to make a decision. Others in his caucus played coy about their plans to decide the future of the Carney government.

Speaking to the Star before the NDP caucus meeting Wednesday, Winnipeg’s Leah Gazan and Vancouver’s Jenny Kwan said they have ruled out abstaining, but did not commit to voting against the budget.

“We’re elected here to make a point, to take a position,” Kwan said. “I’ve always done that in all my entire political life and I will represent my constituents.”

Click link to read the news story - https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/mark-carneys-liberals-welcome-mp-who-crossed-the-floor-as-the-hunt-for-budget-support/article_481bea0e-cee0-41fb-8b3d-e22aea01a68d.html

Globe & Mail: Federal budget 2025: Foreigners living in Canada will get permanent residence priority, Immigration Minister says

On Tuesday the federal government announced a dramatic cut in the number of temporary residents – halving admissions of international students to Canada in the next three years, while stabilizing the number of permanent residents.

Ms. Diab was unavailable for comment. Unusually, the annual levels plan was unveiled in the budget and is being spearheaded by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, rather than the Immigration Minister.

NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan said the government’s plan “represents a disappointing retreat from Canada’s historical role as a welcoming, progressive and inclusive country for immigrants, refugees, international students and temporary foreign workers.”

She said the decision to slash international student numbers, coming on top of previous reductions, will “further devastate colleges and universities and the communities that rely on them, while causing job losses across the country.”

Click link to read the news story - https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-permanent-residence-freeze-canada-diab-federal-budget-2025/

iPOLITICS: Liberals, NDP delete proposed changes to birthright citizenship from ‘lost Canadians’ bill

The federal Liberals have helped pass an NDP motion that removes proposed restrictions to birthright citizenship from the government’s ‘Lost Canadians’ bill, despite the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois voting in opposition.

On Monday, MPs voted on report stage amendments to Bill C-3 initiated by NDP MP Jenny Kwan that sought to reverse previously adopted changes that would require people eligible for birthright citizenship under the proposed law to fulfill residency and security requirements — similar to prospective immigrants.

The bill now proceeds to third reading, where it is expected to pass, before it moves on to the Senate. If codified, the ‘Lost Canadians’ bill would restore citizenship to people born in a foreign country to Canadian parents who were also born outside Canada.

But Conservative and Bloc MPs passed amendments that would introduce additional criteria for ‘lost Canadians’ to receive citizenship during an immigration committee meeting last month. The amendments would require those eligible to demonstrate, among other things, proficiency in either English or French, as well as a basic knowledge of Canadian history.

Though the Liberals opposed the changes, the amendments passed because the NDP no longer have a seat on committees after failing to keep official party status in this past year’s federal election.

During a recent interview, Kwan told iPolitics that the Tory-proposed changes conflate the rights of immigrants with ‘lost Canadians,’ which she said was “sneaky” and “unCanadian.”

“To me, it is absolutely disgraceful… [so] I’m looking to restore the bill to its original form,” she said.

Kwan’s motion passed by a margin of 170 to 163.

Following the vote, she called the result a “victory for every family who refused to give up, for every Canadian denied their birthright, and for the principle that citizenship belongs to the people — not to politicians.”

Click link to read the news story - https://www.ipolitics.ca/2025/11/03/liberals-ndp-delete-proposed-changes-to-birthright-citizenship-from-lost-canadians-bill/