Abolish dual citizenship

[occasional thoughts]

So 63 "Canadians" have been killed in the airliner crash in Iran. I don't think so. It is first-class travesty that Canada allows dual citizenship. And I'm speaking of "citizenship" exactly, My comments have nothing to say about immigration. If I had any inclination to vote Conservative in the last federal election, they would have vanished the instant we learned that Andrew Scheer had dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship. I want an American as my Prime Minister???

If you choose Canada with its benefits and relative safety, you leave behind some other place. If your heart is in a different place, don't come looking for us to bail you out when your homeland erupts.

What incredible idiocy occurred recently when four ambassadors to Russia (Canada, U.S., Ireland and U.K. I believe) visited that "Canadian" imprisoned in Moscow. He had citizenship in all four countries. And I seem to remember one of these many crises from the Middle East 10 or 15 years ago when/where thousands of "Canadians" were unaccounted for in Lebanon.

You become a Canadian, you leave you former citizenship in Iran, Lebanon, Hong Kong, Israel, even the U.S., behind.

[Pete Podoski]

I have a better idea.

How about we abolish people from Canada who are envious of something they don't have? That way, we could eliminate much bias and racism that exists toward people who have done nothing except wanted a better life for themselves and their families.

[Omnitheo]

If you choose Pepsi, don’t even think about going to a restaurant that serves coke.

Cable service with Shaw? Don’t you dare use TELUS for your cell phone. We demand undivided loyalty. You choose to get married and take your spouses family name? You’ve made your choice. It’s time to cut ties to your birth family.

You choose to move away from kelowna? Get off of Castanet. You don’t get to participate in the discussion of your original home region because you made your choice to become a Calgarian.

[occasional thoughts]

So there you have it, folks. Choosing your nation is part of a world-wide capitalist enterprise of marketing and selling the world's nations to nation shoppers. You get to pick the one with the highest benefits at the least cost, as you see it.

Only trouble with the foregoing "analysis", you consume a Pepsi, means you can't simultaneously drink a Coca Cola. You leave Kelowna, move to oh, say, somewhere nice like Edmonton or Regina, you can't be here at the same time. or enjoy our nice reasonable climate. You can visit Kelowna. But you've left it as a resident.

Yes, you can consume Pepsi one day and go back to Coke another. Same as with nationality and citizenship. Or you can move to Edmonton, change your mind or circumstances, and move back to Kelowna. A bit more time and red tape is involved in changing nationality, but it can be and is done.

Many nations prohibit dual citizenship. Why does Canada allow it? I prefer to see people who are born Canadians or who choose Canada have their hearts here as well as their self-interests.

[Hurtlander]

Many nations prohibit dual citizenship. Why does Canada allow it? I prefer to see people who are born Canadians or who choose Canada have their hearts here as well as their self-interests.

You must really hate all the people living in Canada, some for thirty or more years, that are granted permanent resident status but have never officially become Canadian citizens, and only have a foreign passport..... or all the Canadians that have permanent residents status in other countries so they can live in those countries longer than 180 days to avoid Canadian winters.

[occasional thoughts]

I hate no one. Permanent residents are not citizens, although, bizarrely IMHO a year or two ago, Toronto council apparently wanted to grant them the right to vote in city council elections. Back to permanent residents, I don't know everything (surprise!), but they have fewer rights. And I assume that Canadian resources wouldn't be wasted through activation of consular services e.g. to visit them in jail in a foreign country or initiate search and rescue for them in a foreign country subject to unrest

As I said in my post to inaugurate this thread, my comments or feelings are not about immigration; Bring it on. My thoughts are on the very narrow issue of dual (or more) citizenship.

BTW, Canadian taxation is based on residency not citizenship as is done in the U.S., e.g. Permanent residents, if they're paying their taxes, are paying their way to being here. But they do not receive certain privileges such as voting. Shall we eliminate the status of citizen and make Canada a country constituted of "permanent residents"?

[Jonrox]

I have no problem with dual citizenship. I'm not really sure what point the OP is trying to make. Their argument is very vague.

To the OP... what do you suggest happens when people become dual citizens at the time of their birth? For example, a child born to Canadian parents in the US would have dual citizenship.

[OKkayak]

I have dual citizenship. What exactly is your point OP? How does my dual citizenship provide you with hardships worthy of your rant?

I live in Canada, I work here, I provide my part to the economy and I pay my taxes. Where is the issue?

[mexi cali]

The rules regarding citizenship are a moving target. It's not as easy to gain say American citizenship as it used to be. My dad holds three passports, one of them is a US passport. Today, I could not claim US citizenship if I chose as was my right for many years. Never saw the advantage. I don't however care how many passports a person has. The rights you have in any given country are what you are entitled to by law and if by law you can carry several passports and in some cases, claim citizenship, so what?

I also am unsure as to the point behind the OP.

[mexi cali]

I have dual citizenship, what exactly is your point OP? How does my dual citizenship provide you with hardships worthy of your rant?

You may speak a language we don't understand. Or maybe eat some strange types of food. Or drink wine with lunch while working. Or wear a skirt. Any of these would be considered offensive and we simply won't stand for it.

Toe the line sir. Toe the line.

[occasional thoughts]

What's the point of any post. Let's call every post a rant. The last several, e.g.

I don't like multiple citizenship, I've offered a few reasons, I'd change it if I could, and I'd collaborate to change it with others if I had the opportunity.

My daughter had a friend in university who was from Israel. Her family sent her to Canada to study and obtain citizenship. That family sent their other daughter to a different country so she could gain citizenship in that country. Hedging their bets. No commitment, no heart in the transaction, no "love" or at least affection for Canada (or wherever). The woman is now back, living in Israel. I don't like it, I take offence to it.

Denigrate if you will, but that's what I woulI think and believe, and that's what I would do.

I had the privilege of working in Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympics, and on the night of the Gold Medal hockey game won by Canada. Yaletown neighbourhood. The area erupted with thousands of people descending on it with me in often in the middle of throngs. Everyone was delirious (well, except for a few Americans) with the outcome. As I saw it, more than 50% of those people thronging that night were Asians or Indians. I was shocked and thrilled; it was pretty clear where their hearts were.

Clearly, to some people, citizenship is just another business decision.

[OKkayak]

As I saw it, more than 50% of those people thronging that night were Asians or Indians. I was shocked and thrilled; it was pretty clear where their hearts were.

So, because one has dual citizenship, one's heart doesn't belong to Canada?

Clearly, to some people, citizenship is just another business decision.

And to some, its a personal decision that needs no explanation to anyone.

[occasional thoughts]

And so, because one is messing around in an extra-marital affair doesn't mean that (let's presume) he doesn't love his wife. It may very well be that he does love his wife. But for most of us, it comes down to "choose"! As I said prior, many nations to my understanding don't allow multiple citizenship. Shall we revile those nations for that? Go ahead; I laud them.

I was conceived in Los Angeles where my parents were married, but born in Vancouver where my mother was from. My dad had just been discharged from the U.S. Navy but a few months later, he was suddenly given 48 hours to leave the country because some yahoo bureaucrat suddenly figured out that there are two Niagara Falls and he was born in the wrong one, even though he was brought up in Pittsburgh and gave four years of his life to U.S. forces during WWII.

I often wished I'd had rights to work in the U.S., but I had NO interest in becoming an American, dual or otherwise. I've been privileged to be born, grow up in and live in a better country (IMHO of course).

[OKkayak]

I was conceived in Los Angeles where my parents were married, but born in Vancouver where my mother was from. My dad had just been discharged from the U.S. Navy but a few months later, he was suddenly given 48 hours to leave the country because some yahoo bureaucrat suddenly figured out that there are two Niagara Falls and he was born in the wrong one, even though he was brought up in Pittsburgh and gave four years of his life to U.S. forces during WWII.

I often wished I'd had rights to work in the U.S., but I had NO interest in becoming an American, dual or otherwise. I've been privileged to be born, grow up in and live in a better country (IMHO of course).

Sounds more like you're simply envious.

Dual citizenship has zero effect on you or your life in Canada what-so-ever.

[occasional thoughts]

ABSOLUTELY false. As I said somewhere, the U.S. taxes on the basis of citizenship, not residence such as Canada does. My ophthalmologist, dentist and podiatrist are all U.S. citizens with Canadian duality, Kelowna residents. They file and pay to the U.S. every year, subject only to the relief found in tax treaties.

Also, young people are to the best of my knowledge subject to the armed forces draft. And there's probably more.

I'm glad there are individuals out there who appreciate and enjoy and want to protect their dual citizenship and whatever benefits it conveys. I'd take it away, just like Canada took away the right of British subjects who were non-Canadians to vote in our federal elections in (I'm approximating) 40 or so years ago.