NDP demands transparency after suspension of 'lost Canadians' citizenship certificates

NDPer Jenny Kwan is demanding explanations from Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab after IRCC abruptly suspended citizenship certificates issued under Bill C-3, the 'lost Canadians' law, for an unknown number of people worldwide; the department has not disclosed how many are affected or what triggered the review, which will assess, on an individual basis, whether each certificate was properly issued and may be returned if valid. Diab has stressed that Canadian ancestry does not guarantee citizenship, and some affected individuals are considering legal action; more than 4,000 people have received proof of citizenship by descent since the law was enacted.