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1,800 new Canadians poised to lose citizenship: Kenney
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/ k4 Y, Q7 v7 y( V$ T) t' RRichard J. Brennan- @# U& V; F7 C
National Affairs Writer
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Immigration Minister Jason Kenney confirmed Wednesday that as many as 1,800 new Canadians could be stripped of their citizenship because they were obtained fraudulently.
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“We are in the process of notifying them that we will be revoking their citizenship because Canadian citizenship is not for sale,” Kenney told the Economic Club of Canada.6 x0 A+ u( d5 v( W9 Z8 Q# O5 d
% P6 S% k a k0 P* eKenney said some of the individuals are believed to have used “unscrupulous” immigration consultants who submitted fraudulent applications on behalf of people who did not meet the qualifications for citizenship.
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9 L1 l2 s# }$ X. J& SThe 1,800 were identified following a three-year investigation by the RCMP, other police forces and Citizenship and Immigration Canada. W5 g( G h6 v* p# p, p/ r
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“By the way, we are not done with our investigation” Kenney said, noting that many of the accused live outside the country.
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& t: w8 G: t9 Y( A% n- |They can challenge the decision in Federal Court. If not, Cabinet will move to revoke their citizenship.1 [4 f9 ~6 z1 F8 P, Y6 s& Z
; M# k; h/ [' u$ \9 g( Q1 K3 qCitizenship revocation is relatively uncommon in Canada with only 63 people being stripped of their citizenship since 1977, Kenney said./ Q" B$ T, y8 S3 h; P
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Most were for reasons related to residence fraud, criminality and false identity, or concealing their involvement in war crimes.
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Speaking in Vancouver on Tuesday, Kenney said Ottawa is trying to discourage immigration fraud.
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“For those who simply touch down and try to get a Canadian passport as a … passport of convenience, who don’t pay our taxes but who do consume our social benefits, I think that’s dishonourable,” he told reporters after delivering a speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade.# r! o+ S* k" u; L! i, @1 S
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“There are many ways that we are combating immigration fraud and abuse of our generosity, whether it is from [bogus] asylum claimants, crooked immigration consultants, people smugglers [or] people who are abusing our citizenship program,” he said.- ~$ C' b7 ^: e ]9 H
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Kenney also announced that Canada will soon be introducing multi-year visas for low-risk visitors from around the world that will last 10 years. |
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