About 50 years ago immigration policy was based on whites only entry. Then Pierre Trudeau whose international fame matched his domestic popularity changed it forever.
Today, the biggest group of immigrants are Asian - Chinese, Filipino, Indian and Pakistani. With the current Stephen Harper, things are a-changing again with regard to the type of immigrants. Not based on color anymore but on the skills required for the Canadian economy. Good knowledge of either English or French are critical for consideration unlike previously. Also proposals are afoot to revoke Candian citizenship if one is convicted of terrorism, mass violence or treason in any country, has been sentenced to 5 years or more for this anywhere and has dual citizenship. Now the dual citizenship in this context, is a tricky concept. It appears that for example if your father was born in Egypt, you automatically have Egyptian citizenship whether you applied for it ir not and if you were a convicted terrorist, you would lose your Candian citizenship if such a law sees the light of day. Imagine Augustin Fernandes a Goan, becoming a Canadian citizen and giving up his Indian citizenship at the time. The new law will not cancel your Canadian citizenship if it will result in you being stateless. But let's say our Augustin is rightly or wrongly convicted of terrorism when he is visiting Bali and a bombing occurs. So far no problem. He is still Cabadian. But someone in Foreign Affairs in Ottawa discovers that due to current Portuguese law, Gustin is Portuguese also since he was born in Goa in 1960. Before you can say Jack Robinson, Gustin is stripped of his Canadian citizenship and packed off to Lisbon. This may seem a little far fetched but if the proposals become law, more than Gustins may become victims. All those OCIs who took that status merely to avoid applying for Indian visas to visit India everytime will be sailing in the same Canadian citizenship cancellation boat. Not all Gustins or Canadian OCIs are likely to be convicted of treason, terrorism or mass violence anywhere, but I am just pointing out the technical possibility. Roland. Sent from Samsung Mobile
