Vancouver – October 10 – 16, 2016 is Citizenship week. Yet for decades, some Canadians have found themselves rendered stateless due to a number of arcane laws. In a press conference with victims of Canada arcane laws, NDP critic for Immigration, Citizenship, and Refugees, Jenny Kwan stated, “It is absurd that as we celebrate this important occasion, a group of ‘Lost Canadians’ suddenly found themselves without status in Canada. What’s more, it’s 2016, why is Canada persisting with a multi-year court case on the strength of a law that the Supreme Court of Canada has already ruled to unconstitutional?”
Mr. Fadi Yachoua, Attorney to Mr. Kyle Lopez explained, “Kyle’s story is a reflection of the saga that continues because of a discriminatory policy base on gender. Even though the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that there should be no differential treatment between children born to Canadian fathers or mothers, the current Liberal Government is still fighting a multi-year legal battle against Mr. Lopez’s right to assert his Canadian citizenship. “The Prime Minister said he is a feminist. I hope he recognizes that had gender discrimination not existed in the Immigration Act, Kyle Lopez’s father would have been considered a Canadian at birth and he would have been able pass his citizenship on to Kyle. Kyle would not still be in court today fighting for his rights”, said Kwan.
