Unless the writer of the recent letter to the editor (‘Bill C-24 made me a second class citizen in Canada’) intends embarking on a terrorist career in her golden years, there is little to fear.
The revocation of Canadian citizenship or its denial to permanent residents may only occur, at the discretion of the responsible Minister, for persons who have committed and have been convicted of treason, terrorism or “served as a member of an armed force of a country or as a member of an organized armed group and that country or group was engaged in an armed conflict with Canada.”
The issue is minor but at election time exaggeration becomes a feature of the media landscape.
Terrorists etc. are unlikely to be deterred by the possibility of deportation to their country of origin, if convicted.
Governments everywhere are struggling to protect their countries from those who avail themselves of the privilege of two citizenships to pass borders undetected.
As to the issue of becoming a second-class citizen, it could be argued that the holding of another citizenship besides Canadian renders the Canadian citizenship second class? A bit old-fashioned perhaps, but I think there can only be one loyalty.
Nestor GayowskyQualicum Beach
