Niqab och burka förbjuds vid kanadensiska medborgarskapsceremonier

För att bli kanadensisk medborgare kvävs inte bara kunskaper i något av de officiella språken och om landets historia. Varje ny medborgare ska också svära en medborgarskapsed: 

I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful
and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada,
Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully
observe the laws of Canada
and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen. 

För att säkerställa att blivande medborgare verkligen uttalar eden har Kanadas konservativa regering nyligen förbjudit burka och niqab vid medborgarskapsceremonier. Winnipeg Free Press har skrivit en intressant artikel om förbudet. 

There was mixed reaction from Canadian Muslim groups to news Monday that prospective Canadians can no longer wear veils, like the Islamic niqab or the face-shielding burka, while taking the oath of citizenship.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced that new Canadians will have to remove any face-coverings while they swear the oath.

The response from two prominent Muslim groups couldn't have been more different: some heartily applauded the move and others denounced it as causing unnecessary trepidation in the community.

Kenney said it's not just a question of "deep principle" for someone to show their face while taking the oath in front of their fellow citizens, it's also a matter of legal concern.

"I don't know how we can verify that someone whose face is covered is actually taking the oath that the law requires of them," he told a news conference in Montreal.

"This is a public act of witness in front of your fellow citizens, in front of the law — and you should be willing to show who you are."

Apropå medborgarskap och Kanada verkar det som att över 2100 personer blir av med sitt kanadensiska medborgarskap eftersom de begått bedrägeri i samband med ansökan.

Flyktingreform i Kanada

Regeringen i Kanada har beslutat om att reformera flyktingpolitiken. I dag tar det i genomsnitt 19 månader innan en asylansökan kommer upp till prövning och upp till fyra och ett halvt år innan personer som fått avslag på asylansökan kan utvisas.

Legislation to improve Canada’s asylum system, deliver quicker decisions on asylum claims and provide faster protection to those in need was introduced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

“This balanced reform would both increase support for refugees in need of protection and discourage many of the unfounded asylum claims that burden our system,” said Minister Kenney. “These changes would result in faster protection for those who need our help and quicker removals of those who do not.”

Läs minister Jason Kenneys tal om reformen samt kommentarer om reformen i The Gazette * 2, CBC News och CTV Montreal.

Fortsatta steg bort från mångkulturalism i Kanada

Kanada har länge varit symbolen för en mångkulturell politik. Men liksom andra länder tar också Kanada hela tiden steg bort från den mångkulturella modellen. Minister Jason Kennedy betonar integration framför mångkulturalism, en gemensam kanadensik identitet, språkkunskaper för att bli medborgare och en skyldighet att integrera sig som invandrare.

"Our new focus is on integration. We don't want to create a bunch of silo communities where kids grow up in a community that more resembles their parents' country of origin than Canada," explained Kenney, who is also minister of immigration and multiculturalism.

"We want people to be Canadians first and foremost - to be proud of and maintain their own tradition and heritage, but not at the price of developing their Canadian identity."

Kenney said integration must involve language and needs to ensure immigrants become familiar with Canada's history, values and institutions.

A few months ago, also in Calgary, Kenney suggested federal immigration officials should enforce rules that say immigrants who want to become Canadians be able to communicate in French or English. He said those without proper language skills should be denied citizenship.

His views don't appear to have changed.

"To quote former (British) labour prime minister Tony Blair, newcomers have a right to be different but a duty to integrate, so they have to take the initiative," he said Friday. "It also requires the hard work of newcomers. They have to respond as well and take personal responsibility in the process of integration."