OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says ending "birth tourism" is an objective of a controversial policy passed by Conservative delegates at the biennial convention in Halifax, which seeks to end birthright citizenship.
In a statement late Sunday, and as backlash mounted on social media, Scheer says that while the policy in question did not "clearly focus" on ending birth tourism, "ending birth tourism will be among the objectives of our policy."
The new party policy, which is non-binding, calls for the government to enact legislation which would end birthright citizenship in Canada "unless one of the parents of the child born in Canada is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada."
A Canadian 🇨🇦 is a Canadian 🇨🇦 is a Canadian 🇨🇦.
— Ahmed Hussen (@HonAhmedHussen) August 26, 2018
Remember when we ended the Conservatives 2 tiered citizenship?
Disappointing that they want to go back down that road. https://t.co/Bgwh8qAA85
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen's office says the "birth on soil" principle has been enshrined in Canada's citizenship legislation since the introduction of the Canadian Citizenship Act in 1947.
This means that any children born in Canada, with the exception of children of diplomats, consular officers, or employees of foreign governments, are automatically granted citizenship.
#CPC18 delegates voted in favour of ending birthright citizenship for children born in Canada unless one parent is Canadian or a permanent resident. Even Trump has resisted this idea. The NDP unequivocally condemns the division & hate being peddled by @AndrewScheer & the CPC.
— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) August 25, 2018
Scheer says a Conservative government would not end the "core policy" that enables Canadians who have been born in Canada by parents who have come here to stay and who have contributed "greatly to our country."
