Guest: Nicholas Keung, Toronto Star immigration reporter

A federal bill that could restore citizenship to people born abroad is drawing renewed political debate over who qualifies as Canadian and what rules should apply.

Bill C-3 was introduced after a court found Canada’s two-generation limit on citizenship by descent to be unconstitutional. The proposed legislation would allow Canadians born outside the country to pass citizenship to their children, even if those children are also born abroad, provided certain conditions are met.

Recent amendments have added new hurdles including language requirements, security checks, and a more restrictive residency test. Supporters argue the bill finally addresses long-standing exclusions faced by so-called “Lost Canadians,” while critics warn the changes could either enable Canadian citizenship without meaningful connection or reintroduce unfair barriers under a different form.

On this episode we break down what’s changing, who this affects, and what happens next as the bill moves toward a November deadline to be passed.

This episode was mixed by Paulo Marques