Rule would require adopted children born abroad to prove ‘substantial connection’ to Canada to pass on citizenship
Canadian parents of children adopted abroad say a proposed citizenship bill represents a “shocking and unconscionable” erosion of their children’s rights by the governing Liberals.
The federal government is in the midst of overhauling the Citizenship Act so Canadians born abroad can pass citizenship to further generations born abroad. The bill would also restore or grant citizenship descendants who were excluded under older citizenship laws.
But Kat Lanteigne, whose adopted son was born in Zambia, said a new requirement that a Canadian child born abroad demonstrate a “substantial connection” to Canada treats adopted children like immigrants. “It doesn’t treat our son like the Canadian citizen that he is,” she said.
In 2009, changes were made to Canada’s citizenship laws that stopped the automatic transmission of citizenship by descent to foreign-born children if both of their Canadian parents were also born in a foreign country.
