Conservatives must abandon plans to deny help to Canadians abroad

There is no second-class Canadian

OTTAWA – New Democrats are warning against government plans to reduce consular aid to Canadian citizens abroad.

“All Canadians deserve to know that they can count on their government for help if they’re in distress abroad,” said NDP Consular Affairs critic Wayne Marston (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek). “A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian. There’s no second-class citizenship.”

The Conservative government is reportedly considering a reduction of consular assistance to dual citizens. Conservative budget cuts have created serious staffing and resourcing concerns, particularly when it comes to large-scale emergency response.

“Conservatives need to clean up the mess they created with their budget cuts, instead of creating two classes of citizenship,” said NDP’s deputy Consular Affairs critic Paulina Ayala (Honoré—Mercier). “Don’t forget that every Canadian who travels abroad pays for consular services in their passport fees.”