The Liberal government tabled Bill C-6 last week and the goal is to repeal Conservative legislation (Bill C-24, 2014)
Read it in today’s Whig as ‘Tories vow to fight law’ or online in the Ottawa Citizen ‘Tory Senators Fight Changes’
In early 2002, as a new person to the ID business, I called the passport office to determine if someone with a criminal record could even get a passport. Then, as now, passport applications are not processed through the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) to determine if a criminal record is involved. However, I was told if it was public knowledge the applicant was “not of good character” or would, “not be a good Canadian ambassador”, the possibility of acquiring a passport would be greatly diminished.
Quoted from the CIC
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is responsible for the Passport Program and has the authorities laid out in the Canadian Passport Order. As of June 23, 2015 in cases involving national security and the prevention of terrorism offences, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has the authority to determine whether to cancel, refuse to issue or revoke a passport and to impose a refusal period for passport services. The Minister of CIC will put these decisions into practice.
Are there no consequences to heinous actions? Is having a passport a right or a privilege of citizenship? How many times have we heard acquiring a driver’s licence is a privilege? Perhaps we do have a right to a birth certificate (the first one, anyway; new copies are an expense we must all endure.) … but a right to own a passport?
Quoted from the Canadian Encyclopedia
Does Ottawa have the power to stop her? Absolutely. Which is to say, it has virtually absolute power to withhold a passport from her. Crown prerogative allows the federal cabinet to conduct foreign affairs without review by courts or Parliament, and that includes the granting, revocation and denial of travel papers.
