The Conservative Party is urging the Liberal government to discontinue the practice of “one-click citizenship” and reinstate all citizenship ceremonies as in-person events. Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner criticized the high number of individuals obtaining Canadian citizenship online, stating this trend is unreasonable, especially given the current lower levels of support for immigration. Rempel Garner emphasized the importance of in-person citizenship ceremonies as a foundational element of Canada’s civic life, highlighting their community significance.
To comply with social distancing guidelines during the pandemic, new Canadians began taking their citizenship oaths through virtual ceremonies in April 2020. While in-person ceremonies resumed in July 2022, the virtual option remained to expedite the citizenship process. The federal government noted a significant preference for virtual ceremonies, with less than 10% of new Canadians choosing in-person ceremonies in the latter half of 2022.
Contrary to the notion of “one-click” citizenship, virtual ceremonies entail several steps, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These steps involve a videoconference for identity verification, cutting the permanent resident card with scissors, participating in a virtual ceremony to take the citizenship oath, and submitting a signed affirmation document to IRCC.
Although the federal government proposed self-affirmation of the citizenship oath in 2023, public consultation revealed significant opposition to this idea. Conservative MP Tom Kmiec supported a petition advocating for a return to in-person citizenship ceremonies as the standard practice. Paul Chiang, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of immigration, refugees, and citizenship, defended virtual ceremonies, citing their role in reducing wait times for citizenship ceremonies. IRCC confirmed its commitment to delivering both in-person and virtual ceremonies across all regions of Canada to ensure inclusivity and celebration.
