Thousands could lose Canada permanent residency for minor crimes

Canada, 4th October: Are you a Canadian permanent resident and involved in traffic or even shoplifting offence? Watch out.

For you may be in big trouble.

Thousands risk losing Canada permanent residency due to minor crimes—As per a latest proposal, any Canada permanent resident found guilty of minor offences including traffic, shoplifting or drug offence could be stripped of their Canada permanent resident status.

That’s not all. Canada’s immigration lawyers allege such a proposal, if introduced as legislation, could lead to deportation of all such involved in minor crimes.

Proposed immigration law cruel, tough—immigration lawyers—Several criminal and immigration lawyers in Canada have alleged that the proposed legislation is not only tough but cruel. Bill C-43 puts to an end the right to appeal orders of removal if convicted of minor crimes and sentenced to prison for six months or more.

Canada’s proposed ‘one-strike-and-you’re-out’ policy is inhuman, tough and too cruel to deal with those who have been allowed into the nation legally.

‘One-strike-and-you’re-out’ eliminates right to plead guilty--So, the new bill, alleged at faster removal of foreigners convicted of crimes, has come in as a big shock since it seems to convey to the lawful Canada permanent residents the policy of ‘one-strike-and-you-are-out’.

Vice president of the Criminal Lawyers Association, Andras Schreck, says Canada needs to keep in mind that it is not admitting bank robbers, murderers or serial rapists.

The bill will provide appeals for only those facing sentence of six-months in prison down from the present two years threshold. And the new legislation could also ban readmission to Canada for five years from the earlier two years.

Canada must review the proposal--According to an immigration lawyer in Canada, Robin Seligman, Canadians are considered to be compassionate. Hence, we need to reconsider this new proposal before pushing them out of the nation, he adds.

Even the title of the proposed act is misleading since it is not related in any way to faster deportation of foreign criminals, states Guidy Mamann, an immigration lawyer based in Toronto.

The act does not care to view any remorse by the affected Canada permanent resident or the impact the deportation would have on the involved Canada permanent resident or his family, worries Mamann.

The bill is among new Canada immigration laws that reflect a changing approach to immigration. The government, by enacting such laws, is ultimately responsible for destroying and attacking Canada’s immigration system, says Barbara Jackman, a Canada immigration lawyer.