NEWS RELEASE | Feb. 08, 2005 | Andrew Telegdi, P.C., M.P.
Kitchener-Waterloo

Contact: Reevin Vinetsky: 613-996-7890

Dear Friends,

A new organization called the Canadian Citizenship Coalition was recently formed by Chinese, Arab, Ukrainian, Islamic, African, German, Somali and Sikh ethnic communities, immigrant, refugee, and civil liberties groups, which are deeply troubled by the current citizenship legislation.

In their presentations to the Standing Committee on Citizenship & Immigration today, members of the Coalition strongly urged the government to make the changes in the new Citizenship Act that will bring it into compliance with the provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Paul Grod of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress said that the Coalition supports the general principles set out in the committee�s report to Parliament that would accomplish this goal.

He criticized the previous Minister of Citizenship for ignoring the changes to the citizenship revocation process that the committee recommended in its report and proceeding with the revocation of several naturalized Canadians under the provisions of the current Act, which are not in compliance with the Legal Rights provisions of Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

I urge all of you to support this initiative to reform the Citizenship Act by becoming active members of the Coalition. To join the coalition, please contact Mr. Ostap Skrypnyk, at: [email protected] or call him at 1-204-942-4627.

You can read the transcript of today�s committee hearings at:
http://prismprod/intranetdocuments/CommitteeBusiness/38/1/CIMM/ Meetings/Evidence/CIMMEVBLUES18.HTM
or watch it on the Canadian Political Affairs Channel (CPAC) in your region where it will be shown this Saturday, Feb. 12th, 5-7 pm EST.

Rachelle Cyr-Kelderman
S.A/A.S
Bureau de l'honorable Andrew Telegdi, P.C.,M.P.
tel: 996-5928
fax: 996-6251

[W.Z. The above link does not work.The transcripts of the CIMM #18 meeting should be readable at
cimm18_20050208.html]