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1,800 new Canadians poised to lose citizenship: Kenney
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Richard J. Brennan
7 \ r# J9 r% Z7 p# b! X3 [) jNational Affairs Writer : f2 p# S% p' ?8 k$ U6 I' e
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" _3 w' V5 q; z4 O% yImmigration Minister Jason Kenney confirmed Wednesday that as many as 1,800 new Canadians could be stripped of their citizenship because they were obtained fraudulently." ^) t' X7 f* t$ g7 m/ t, l6 N
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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.0 c \( i. _! j9 |# j, d' `
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Kenney 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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The 1,800 were identified following a three-year investigation by the RCMP, other police forces and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
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; W. A1 N& O# E' T {* o# N“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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3 m. G. J& @/ ^# w1 AThey can challenge the decision in Federal Court. If not, Cabinet will move to revoke their citizenship.
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$ w7 ]; R, Y5 NCitizenship revocation is relatively uncommon in Canada with only 63 people being stripped of their citizenship since 1977, Kenney said.
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% V' N- N9 C" k: g; s- m/ P" _Most were for reasons related to residence fraud, criminality and false identity, or concealing their involvement in war crimes.; t! ^' G( S y1 x6 c, h
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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.( a" o2 Z! h$ b$ Q3 ^
4 u$ u9 }3 I& X' b“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.
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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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