Statement on Amendments to the Lost Canadians Bill

Jenny Kwan, NDP Immigration Critic, Statement on Amendments to the Lost Canadians Bill

“I am deeply disappointed that the Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs voted together to pass amendments to Bill C-3 (the Lost Canadians bill) at the Immigration Committee. These amendments fundamentally undermine the very purpose of the bill — to right the historic wrongs faced by Lost Canadians and their families.

By replacing a cumulative residency connection test with a requirement for 1,095 consecutive days, the Conservatives and the Bloc have chosen to ignore the reality that Canadians are global citizens. It unfairly penalizes Canadians who work, study or fall in love abroad — people who should have every right to pass on their citizenship to their 2nd generation born abroad children.

The Conservatives and Bloc added language and criminality tests that treat Lost Canadians as if they were immigrants applying to enter the country for the first time — stripping them of the recognition of their birthright. Lost Canadians are not immigrants. They are Canadians who, because of outdated and discriminatory laws, have been unjustly denied their citizenship. These amendments effectively make them second-class citizens with additional obligations. That is wrong.

While I support common sense measures around document verification and reporting, the substantive changes by the Conservatives and Bloc are unacceptable. They fail to honour the fundamental principle that citizenship should not be taken away or restricted because of where a Canadian has lived.

The NDP will continue to stand with Lost Canadians and their families to fight against these unjust and discriminatory barriers.”

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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/