Critics slam ‘birth tourism’ policy

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s attempt to defend a controversial policy which seeks to end birthright citizenship isn’t sitting well with refugee advocates who say the policy could lead to stateless children.

Tories who attended the biennial convention in Halifax passed a new party policy, which is non-binding, that calls for the government to enact legislation to 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.”

Critics on social media ac- cused the Conservatives of supporting a policy that could lead to stateless children, prompting Scheer to issue a statement late Sunday saying that while the policy did not specifically target ending birth tourism, “ending birth tourism will be among the objectives of our policy.”

Scheer said Conservatives recognize that there are many Canadians “who have been born in Canada by parents who have come here to stay” and who have contributed greatly. “I will not end the core policy that facilitates this. Unlike Justin Trudeau, I will safeguard it against abuse,” said Scheer.

Janet Dench, the executive director of Canadian Council for Refugees, says there is no meaningful data to suggest that “birth tourism” is an actual problem and that if the measure came into force, “the vast majority of people affected would not at all be people who come for birth tourism reasons.”

Dench said the policy’s impact would go “way beyond” its intent if indeed the objective is to combat birth tourism. She said birth tourism presents newcomers as “people who are trying to take advantage of Canada and of Canadians. And that is a very dangerous way to be presenting non-Canadians and people who want to join our society.” Dench said the policy would change the very fabric of Canada’s society.