FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement by Jenny Kwan on Lost Canadians Suspension of Citizenship Certificates
The federal government's sudden reversal on the suspension of citizenship certificates issued under the new citizenship-by-descent provisions raises more questions on how IRCC is carrying out its mandate under the current Minister.
Just days after some newly recognized Canadians were suddenly, without warning, ordered to surrender their citizenship certificates and informed that their status was under review, IRCC has now begun notifying many of those same individuals that their citizenship claims are valid after all.
According to those affected, no new evidence was requested and no additional documentation was provided between the decision to revoke their certificates and the decision to reinstate them.
Canadians deserve to know: what happened?
For families who had finally received recognition of their Canadian citizenship after years of waiting, these letters caused enormous distress. Some were told that their citizenship certificates were no longer valid. Others were warned that any passport issued on the basis of those certificates could be invalidated. Families were left wondering whether they could trust the very documents the government had issued to them.
The Minister has acknowledged that an internal review is underway. That review must be accompanied by a full public explanation.
I am calling on the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to answer the following questions:
- Why were these citizenship certificates suspended in the first place?
- What changed between the original surrender notices and the subsequent revalidation letters?
- How many people were affected by these actions?
- Why were applicants not given an opportunity to provide clarification or additional evidence before being ordered to surrender their citizenship certificates?
- What measures are being put in place to ensure this does not happen again?
The fact that some files were apparently reinstated without any new evidence raises serious concerns about the consistency of the department's decision-making process.
This issue extends beyond the individuals who received surrender letters. More than 4,000 people have obtained citizenship under the amended citizenship-by-descent provisions, and many are now wondering whether their own status could be called into question without warning.
Citizenship is a fundamental legal status that shapes a person's future, family plans, mobility, and sense of belonging. Canadians should be able to have confidence that when the government grants citizenship, that decision has been properly reviewed, verified and can be relied upon.
The Minister owes affected families a clear explanation of what went wrong and what safeguards will be put in place to prevent this from happening again.
