CITIZENSHIP and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced last Sunday that since the beginning of 2014, the government has revoked the citizenship of 22 people who obtained their Canadian citizenship through fraud or misrepresentation.

Recent changes to the Citizenship Act include further measures to help combat fraud and protect the citizenship program from abuse. These measures include: increasing penalties for fraud; defining who is an authorized representative and providing authority to develop regulations to designate a regulatory body whose members would be authorized to act as consultants in citizenship matters; and refusing an applicant for fraud at any point in the citizenship process and barring them from reapplying for five years.

In addition, changes to the Citizenship Act will make it possible for the Government to revoke the citizenship of dual citizens convicted of serious crimes such as terrorism, high treason, treason or spying, depending on the sentence imposed.