Discussions

I would like to see what Brandonites think of dual citizenship. With the influx of refugees, migrants and now a growing number of immigrants crossing illegally from the US there will be an ever growing demand from foreigners to apply for Canadian citizenship while keeping their native country's citizenship active. So is this ok? Does dual citizenship help Canada in any way? Would it be better if new Citizens would embrace becoming a Canadian citizen by holding only one valid passport, namely Canada's? I'm asking these questions because I'm not convinced that an individual can be committed to two countries. I prefer one person, one citizenship. Otherwise, is the new Canadian a true Canadian or a Canadian of convenience?

At first, refugees become permanent residents of Canada. As a refugee, they are not allowed to hold the passport of their home country. They can apply for a refugee travel document which allows them to travel to any country but their home country, the country they are claiming protection from. If a refugee who is a permanent resident of Canada is found to be travelling to or in possession of a passport from their home country they can be reported to Immigration Refugees Citizenship Canada.

Kyle88 said "At first, refugees become permanent residents of Canada. As a refugee, they are not allowed to hold the passport of their home country. They can apply for a refugee travel document which allows them to travel to any country but their home country, the country they are claiming protection from. If a refugee who is a permanent resident of Canada is found to be travelling to or in possession of a passport from their home country they can be reported to Immigration Refugees Citizenship Canada. "

Makes sense. I know there are exceptions though. For example, one flees a country as a refugee where there is turmoil, maybe a war. Once in Canada that person can apply for citizenship after due time. Problem in native country is resolved then that person can and often will hold dusl citizenship. I know this personaly as Canada accepted numerous refugees from Kosova in 1999. Many became Canadian citizen and some have returned to Kosovo now and hold a Canadian passport. Hence once a refugee claimant, became Canadian citizen and now lives in Kosovo. Is that a Canadian citizen of convenience?

Why not? My daughter has dual citizenship because she was born overseas in Eastern Europe. I am Canadian and my Ex was Eastern European, we lived in Europe. Why should people be forced to give up one over the other?  
Should Canadians who marry Americans or live in US be forced to give up their citizenship? Canadians who work/live/wed abroad are entitled to their Canadian citizenship. So why would it change for people coming to Canada?  
Most people are good and loyal people. And those who are not good intentions or loyal to Canada (or whatever country) will not be loyal regardless of the citizenship they hold.

AndreaD. said "Why not? My daughter has dual citizenship because she was born overseas in Eastern Europe. I am Canadian and my Ex was Eastern European, we lived in Europe. Why should people be forced to give up one over the other?   Should Canadians who marry Americans or live in US be forced to give up their citizenship? Canadians who work/live/wed abroad are entitled to their Canadian citizenship. So why would it change for people coming to Canada?   Most people are good and loyal people. And those who are not good intentions or loyal to Canada (or whatever country) will not be loyal regardless of the citizenship they hold. "

For one, let's go back a few years where chaos had erupted in Beirut. Hundreds of dual citizens (Lebanese/Canadian) where at the Canadian embassy's front door demanding that Canada get them out of harms way as they were "Canadian citizens". I see that as a citizen of convenience where one holds a Canadian citizenship and is entitled to all benefits that go with being Canadian, but live elsewhere without paying Canadian taxes and then when in need they are conveniently Canadian and demand to use our services. This could be for pension, medicare , or emergency requests as we saw in Beirut.

As a proud member of my country, province, town, and family, it makes me sick to see people who take their communities for granted as a convenience or whim to be changed willy-nilly! That's why I'm 47 and still live with my parents.

70`s guy said "    AndreaD. said "Why not? My daughter has dual citizenship because she was born overseas in Eastern Europe. I am Canadian and my Ex was Eastern European, we lived in Europe. Why should people be forced to give up one over the other?   Should Canadians who marry Americans or live in US be forced to give up their citizenship? Canadians who work/live/wed abroad are entitled to their Canadian citizenship. So why would it change for people coming to Canada?   Most people are good and loyal people. And those who are not good intentions or loyal to Canada (or whatever country) will not be loyal regardless of the citizenship they hold. " For one, let's go back a few years where chaos had erupted in Beirut. Hundreds of dual citizens (Lebanese/Canadian) where at the Canadian embassy's front door demanding that Canada get them out of harms way as they were "Canadian citizens". I see that as a citizen of convenience where one holds a Canadian citizenship and is entitled to all benefits that go with being Canadian, but live elsewhere without paying Canadian taxes and then when in need they are conveniently Canadian and demand to use our services. This could be for pension, medicare , or emergency requests as we saw in Beirut. "

A Canadian citizen pays the Canadian government taxes even if they work in an other country. Canada taxes on your world wide income. I know this as my daughter lives in the States. She pays both US and Canadian taxes on her income.

cotr said "    70`s guy said "    AndreaD. said "Why not? My daughter has dual citizenship because she was born overseas in Eastern Europe. I am Canadian and my Ex was Eastern European, we lived in Europe. Why should people be forced to give up one over the other?   Should Canadians who marry Americans or live in US be forced to give up their citizenship? Canadians who work/live/wed abroad are entitled to their Canadian citizenship. So why would it change for people coming to Canada?   Most people are good and loyal people. And those who are not good intentions or loyal to Canada (or whatever country) will not be loyal regardless of the citizenship they hold. " For one, let's go back a few years where chaos had erupted in Beirut. Hundreds of dual citizens (Lebanese/Canadian) where at the Canadian embassy's front door demanding that Canada get them out of harms way as they were "Canadian citizens". I see that as a citizen of convenience where one holds a Canadian citizenship and is entitled to all benefits that go with being Canadian, but live elsewhere without paying Canadian taxes and then when in need they are conveniently Canadian and demand to use our services. This could be for pension, medicare , or emergency requests as we saw in Beirut. " A Canadian citizen pays the Canadian government taxes even if they work in an other country. Canada taxes on your world wide income. I know this as my daughter lives in the States. She pays both US and Canadian taxes on her income. "

Would be true, but she likely doesn't pay full income taxes in both yhe US and Canada. Her rate of taxation in Canada while working in the states would be dependant on a number of factors, one being if she maintains an address in Canada. If she has no address in Canada and permanantly works in the US then she'd be paying 15% tax or less. In addition the US is easy for Rev Can to check annual income in comparison to someone who is a Dual citizen from Lebenon or Namibia for example. How does Rev Canada recoup taxes from a Canadian dual resident living and working in Lebenon? Does it really benefit Canada to allow Citizens to be a citizen of another country.?

Canada and the United States each have very unique systems of taxation. However, these two countries have signed a Tax Treaty in order to avoid double taxation and to prevent fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital. The Canada-United States Income Tax Treaty ensures that a resident of one country is not taxed by each of the two countries on the same income in the same year. (referred to as "double taxation"). This is particularly important if a person lives in one country and either commutes to work in the other country every day or moves to the other country temporarily to work for a limited period of time.

I am not a fan of dual citizenship. Pick one where your loyalty is.  
 
In some cases other countries can you it against you.  
 
It is not going to change so we should though set some parameters on how much hell Canada should help out Canadians abroad with or without dual citizenship.  
 
When in Rome do as the Romans do is a I think rings true.  
 
Our laws and values are ours. When we travel the country you go to has theirs. Expect their jail time etc when you travel. If that country ignores your dual citizen standing? Too bad. Just a Canadian citizen in Indonesia and getting 20 years for a 1 year crime in Canada? You  
deserve embassy or consulate support but only what is required to keep the basics like info/redress visits.  
 
If you did the crime you do their time. Yes of course there is exceptions.

im torn on the issue  
 
while i think once born in canada should always be able to be canadian i do not believe in canadian (or any other nationality) for convenience, some of the Lebanese canadians never even set foot on our soil because they inherited their citizenship, that is wrong imo  
 
but if i were working abroad and had a child i do think i should be able to apply for canadian born abroad citizenship when we returned as long as i was not planning to stay in whatever country permanently it works but if i stay and the child makes a life their kids should not be able to apply  
 
i believe these loop holes were fixed after the Lebanon incident but i could be wrong, the real problem is that refugees know a lot about the world and many do shop for benefits, very human, but in order for us to keep funding up we need the refugees and other immigrants and all canadians to contribute to our system and taxes, and we do have to limit how many we can support at once, therefor we really need to make sure the refugees we help now are really in need of protection and not just wanting better benefits then the country their in has

i believe that it was a journalist that travelled to the mid east on a mid eastern passport,got into trouble with the law and started waving his canadian passport and demanding protection from canada , i believe that this should not be allowed.

I actually think that it is a helpful thing for a journalist to have dual citizenship, access to get stories that might not be possible to get otherwise. Journalism is an important public service.

Tater said "I actually think that it is a helpful thing for a journalist to have dual citizenship, access to get stories that might not be possible to get otherwise. Journalism is an important public service. "

then they should use the same visa to exit the country they visit as the visa they used to enter it

mackenzie5 said "i believe that it was a journalist that travelled to the mid east on a mid eastern passport,got into trouble with the law and started waving his canadian passport and demanding protection from canada , i believe that this should not be allowed. "

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/sec.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/fahmy-shocked-at-ottawas-refusal-to-issue-passport-due-to-travel-ban/article23744050/%3Fservice%3Damp?client=safari  
Believe this link is probably the story that you're referring to. Mr Fahmy dual citizenship being born in Egypt and immigrated to Canada as a teenager. When he got in serious trouble in Egypt he decided to give up his Egyption citizenship believing that the authorities would return him to Canada. A perfect example of a citizen of convenience. As a dual citizen, which country would you be loyal/dedicated to? The one born into or adopted? I believe that it's even more important to be a citizen if only one country when those individuals are in positions of power or influence. Journalism fits the bill for influence, but think of a politian who holds dual citizenship. Is it possible that an MP, Premier or even Prime Minister have a conflict of interest should he/she have citizenship in two, three, four or more countries? Does Canada actualybenifit in allowing citizens to have more than one citizenship or does it cause our Foriegn Affairs Minister and embassies more grief than necessary?