End of session kills change to bill that would strip terrorists of citizenship

OTTAWA – The last legislative fight of the spring session in the Commons appears to have been won by the New Democrats.

The decision by the House to adjourn for the summer a few days early nixed Conservative efforts to amend a private member’s bill to strip Canadian citizenship from dual nationals convicted of terrorist acts.

The bill originally sought to remove citizenship only from dual nationals who commit acts of war against the Canadian military.

But after a Canadian with dual citizenship was suspected of involvement in a bus bombing in Bulgaria, the government decided to expand the legislation.

The New Democrats opposed the change and engaged in a filibuster at committee until the clock ran out.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair calls the bill an odious piece of work while the Tories accuse the NDP of supporting the rights of terrorists.