According to the proposed Removal of Serious Foreign Criminals Act, permanent residents, who convict a serious crime, will not have a chance to have deportation caused by committing crime, be reviewed anymore. They will be sent back home directly.
“Significantly streamlines the current process which means faster removals and cost savings to taxpayers.” Says a Canada Border Services Agency representative.
There are many definitions of serious crimes. Permanent residents could be sent back home if convicted to a crime which sentenced them to 6 months or more.
These crimes are:
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1. Impaired driving causing bodily harm
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2. Impaired driving causing death
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3. Cultivation of marijuana
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4. Trafficking of marijuana over 3 kg
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5. Theft over $5,000
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6. Robbery without a firearm
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7. Possession of a restricted weapon with ammunition
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8. Assault causing bodily harm or with a weapon
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9. Fleeing police
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10. Using or possessing a stolen or forged credit card
The federal government has always had the right to band permanent residency status of landed immigrants, but it has become easier now to do so. According to some advocates of immigrants, these new laws have the capability of sending landed immigrants back to their home country after living in Canada for their whole life.
“These are young children brought to Canada at a young age as permanent residents, raised and schooled in Canada ... (but) never took out citizenship,” lawyer Guidy Mamann said in 2012.
