the CanadaVisa Team - 18 July, 2015
Several Canadian Members of Parliament (MP) have spoken up recently in defence of dual citizenship. Their comments came in response to recent calls for the newly elected leader of the Liberal Party of Canada Stephane Dion.
Dion was born in Canada but retains dual Canadian and French citizenship, the latter obtained at birth through his mother. Since taking the helm of his party, some parliamentarians from opposing parties have suggested that holding dual citizenship implies divided loyalties inappropriate in his position. It also takes place as Citizenship and Immigration Canada undertakes a review of Canada's practices of recognition of dual citizenship.
Several of Mr. Dion's colleagues in Ottawa hold dual citizenships, particularly amongst the 41 MPs born outside of Canada. Toronto MP Jim Karygiannis, who also holds Greek citizenship, said he is not planning to give up his Greek passport, saying "my constituents don't want me to do that. I'm very proud of my roots." Likewise, Vancouver MP Ujal Dosanjh, who immigrated to Canada from India but does not hold Indian citizenship, defended dual citizenships as an asset for Canadians do embrace global opportunities. "We have an increasingly mobile world, and you can't contend with these new realities by building walls," said Dosanjh.
Since 1977, when the last restrictions were removed, acquiring Canadian citizenship has not required an individual to cut ties with their country of origin; nor has taking on the passport of another nation required an existing Canadian citizen to relinquish their Canadian passport. Over 500,000 Canadians living in Canada currently hold more than one passport, along with many Canadians living overseas.
