Immigration Officials Says that It’s Fraudulent to Grant Passport to Babies Born to Non-Resident Parents in Canada

One of the top immigrant officials of Canada has mentioned that the so-called passport babies are a genuine problem in certain parts of the Canadian locales.  It is necessary to close the loophole which is being exploited by some pregnant foreign tourists to curtail the fraud practice.

A former Director General of Citizenship and Immigration has said that the policy resolution passed by the conservatives will end the practice of offering citizenship to babies born in the country is just like using the hammer to squash a fly.

Delegates have endorsed a resolution to put an end to the policy of providing a birthright citizenship claiming that too many people are traveling to Canada simply to give birth and obtain the status for their children.  Party members  have voted to rewrite the key section of the nationality law in Canada. However, the resolution is non-binding for the future government.

Proponents of change that have been introduced by the delegates from Labrador and Newfoundland have said that the move is important for cracking down the foreigners who are traveling here to secure the privileges and perks for their kids who come with being a Canadian.  The change is going to depend on a section of the Canadian Law which has been made intact with the advent of the distinct Canadian citizenship.

Conflicting Statistics

Canada is one among the few developed countries which grants citizenship to any child that is born on its soil irrespective of the immigrant status of the parents. It has some exceptions, such as the children of the foreign diplomats are excluded. This is creating a problem as only 300 babies were born in this country while 2000 were born to the non-Canadian mothers. This phenomenon has become pretty common.  It is crowding the facilities and the space which is available to the residents of Canada.

The Director General has said that he doesn’t want to see birth tourism happen but on the practical side abolishing the birthright citizenship is simply creating inconvenience for the millions of Canadian for addressing a small problem. He has suggested means like asking the hospitals to make the non-residents pay more money for covering the medical expenses. Also, changes in the policy of offering visas can also be made. The visa officials can refuse entry to people if they suspect that the person is traveling to Canada just to give birth.

B.C. Birthing Houses

There has also been a significant rise in the number of birthing houses which hosts pregnant tourists who will give birth to a Canadian baby. Officials are also planning to put some regulations on these birthing houses or to put a ban on them. These houses are an abuse of the system and the policy. Measures should be taken that are more targeted and focused rather than a wholesale change.

According to MP Alice Wong, passport babies can take away the resources from their system. Moreover, it is also dangerous for the mother and child. As a matter of fact, the liberals have also supported this.