I probably should not admit publicly that the ReformCons currently in power in Ottawa drive me crazy with their disdain for our country because it probably gives them great pleasure to think about a liberal like me pulling my hair out.
Nevertheless, it is extremely frustrating that they appear hell-bent on replacing the nation I love with one based on very different values from my own and the majority of Canadians.
Over the past century and a half, just about, we have built a secular, liberal democracy in this country, a society that respects the rights of all citizens equally. At least in law if not always in practice, equality of all human beings is entrenched in the Constitution.
I completely support every citizen’s right to disagree with the Constitution and even dislike the Canada that was built on liberal values, but you don’t go about changing it by using the bully position of a majority government to pass unconstitutional laws.
There is an amendment process for the Constitution. It is difficult, yes, it is supposed to be, but it is the proper way to go about things.
One of the most egregious laws the Conservative government has ever passed went into effect on June 3.
Bill C-24, officially titled Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, effectively creates two classes of citizens. Now, the government will have the discretion to strip citizenship from dual nationals found guilty abroad of terrorism, treason or spying.
They could not do that to me and when you recognize this, it is instantly clear how the law contravenes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Charter guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it to “everyone” or “every citizen.” Nowhere does it say, “everyone who was born in Canada” or “every citizen who does not also hold citizenship in another country.”
Citizenship minister Chris Alexander has tried to justify this bill by saying citizenship is a privilege, not a right. Clearly, from the language of the Charter, he is dead wrong on this point. Once granted, citizenship is, in fact, a right that cannot be taken away.
C-24 gives the Canadian government the kind of power one would expect to see in a dictatorship, not a democratic country that supposedly respects the rule of law.
That does not mean citizenship does not come with responsibilities. Any Canadian who is convicted in a credible court should be punished according to the law.
“Credible court” is a critical distinction.
One case immediately comes to mind is that of Al Jezeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy. Fahmy was a dual Egyptian and Canadian citizen convicted in a kangaroo court in a sham trial in Egypt.
I say “was” a dual citizen because while he was incarcerated for 400 days in an Egyptian jail, he signed a denunciation of his Egyptian citizenship in order to take advantage of a law that would allow him to be deported back to Canada. Despite an announcement in February by John Baird, then foreign affairs minister that Fahmy’s release was
“imminent,” the Canadian government failed to secure his deportation and now he is awaiting the result of a retrial.
Bad enough how badly the Conservatives bungled the Fahmy case, had C-24 been in effect when he was originally convicted, Ottawa may very well have revoked his citizenship.
There are 863,000 Mohamed Fahmys in Canada. They legitimately qualified for and were granted citizenship, but according to the new law, they are all now second-class citizens. That is not fair and it is un-Canadian.
I suppose I should not be too frustrated, however. This law will undoubtedly be challenged and defeated in court or repealed by a future non-Conservative government.
What a waste of taxpayers’ money, though. October cannot come soon enough.
