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1,800 new Canadians poised to lose citizenship: Kenney, B# B. C( P. R* s0 m- y( _
3 R2 l; H- e: R9 `7 ~. j/ JRichard J. Brennan% [8 F* O6 d4 T0 H
National Affairs Writer ! q2 ?: ]; V) E. j, b E; c2 J
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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.0 w/ A* t6 W1 i! y
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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.' W8 o; Z& d& }! D, W
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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.8 y8 u. W( y2 s% R. O* E
# S8 R( k. I4 G) m- A% b+ U! m“By the way, we are not done with our investigation” Kenney said, noting that many of the accused live outside the country.6 P3 b Z$ s. g. A& v, |# ?4 _& H
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They can challenge the decision in Federal Court. If not, Cabinet will move to revoke their citizenship.
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8 u! l( v/ M, OCitizenship revocation is relatively uncommon in Canada with only 63 people being stripped of their citizenship since 1977, Kenney said.
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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.) R# p+ g1 {. ~% e( Q9 K8 x1 v
P# W5 g9 t6 b; D2 z+ b% R“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.' i1 d7 A% m- l: D! U
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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.) @/ k; v) h6 }
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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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