Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act

The Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act (SCCA) is legislation passed by the 40th Canadian Parliament in 2014, under the direction of Chris Alexander, when he was Minister of Immigration of Canada. The Act streamlined the process of naturalization from three steps into one. The Act allows the revocation of an individual's citizenship even if the person was born in Canada. Anyone convicted of terrorism or treason if they have dual citizenship can be stripped of their citizenship.

History

Bill C-24 was presented by Alexander in February 2014. A longer period of residency in country was required for would-be citizens. It received Royal Assent on 19 June 2014. The Canadian Bar Association wrote a report on the bill. The bill had elicited much controversy. Experts told the Toronto Star in June that the bill was "discriminatory" and "weakens citizenship". The Globe and Mail wrote that Alexander was "under fire" as the bill was set to pass.

Zakaria Amara was stripped of his citizenship under the Act on 26 September 2015. However, on 19 June 2017, Amara's Canadian citizenship was automatically restored following the passage of Bill C-6 of the 42nd Parliament of Canada, which had been introduced by John McCallum and had the effect of deleting several of the SCCA's provisions most notably the terrorist grounds for revocation. As of August 2023 Amara, who had earned a life sentence for his part in the Toronto 18 terror plot, was allowed day parole and worked in a watch shop. He had been allowed day parole in October 2022 because of a favourable RCMP report.

One issue in the October 2015 Canadian federal election was the SCCA. Incumbent Stephen Harper stood on his record while Justin Trudeau and Tom Mulcair both said they would reverse the revocation clause. Four other citizens in addition to Amara were concerned, as they had all been sent revocation letters. Academic Wesley Wark was quoted as: the SCCA "is too much power in the hands of a minister." Trudeau "would let convicted terrorists keep Canadian citizenship" because this legislation creates two classes of citizenship. In the event, Trudeau won the election and kept his promise to rescind the terrorist penalty. Bill C-6 was passed as a result of his leadership, and this allowed bitter headlines to run in the press on Amara's respite. Candice Malcolm wrote thus: "Amara wanted to detonate bombs in downtown Toronto, and coordinate shooting sprees at the CBC and the Toronto Stock Exchange. He planned to siege Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and carry out executions and beheadings of politicians, including the Prime Minister.. Under the Harper government, Amara had his Canadian citizenship revoked and was set to be deported the moment he was released from prison. But things have changed under Justin Trudeau," and it was under Ahmed Hussen that Amara's citizenship was finally restored.