Our Government knows that the highest principle of any government is to ensure the safety and security of Canadians and their families.
The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness will have the authority to cancel a passport when there is reasonable grounds to suspect it will prevent the commission of a terrorism offence, in accordance with the Criminal Code or for national security purposes. The Minister may also refuse or revoke a passport when there are reasonable grounds to believe it will prevent the commission of a terrorism offence, in accordance with the Criminal Code or for national security purposes.
Changes to the Canadian Passport Order mean that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration will have the authority to cancel a passport when there is reasonable grounds to suspect it will prevent a sexual offence against children in Canada or abroad. The Minister may refuse or revoke a passport when there are reasonable grounds to believe it will prevent a sexual offence against children in Canada or abroad.
The introduction of the Prevention of Terrorist Travel Act will ensure that when a Federal Court judge presides over a passport decision related to national security or terrorism, sensitive information could be protected from disclosure, but also used by the judge to make their decision.
- A passport may be cancelled by the Minister responsible if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the action is necessary to prevent the commission of a terrorism offence, a transnational sex offence against children, or for the national security of Canada, a foreign country or state.
- In exceptional circumstances, a passport may be cancelled by the Minister without prior notice to the individual if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the action is required to prevent a terrorism offence and that the notice would defeat the purpose of the cancellation. In these instances the individual will be notified as soon as possible after the cancellation.
- The person will be advised that the passport will be cancelled and given thirty (30) days to respond and provide information that may cause the Passport Program to reconsider the cancellation. The individual can appeal the cancellation before the Federal Court of Canada within 30 days of the date of the decision.
Passport cancellation has the same effect as revocation, in that law enforcement and border control partners are notified of the cancellation and the passport can no longer be used for travel. However, it is a temporary measure used until an investigation is completed. If at the conclusion of an investigation, there are insufficient grounds to revoke the passport, the passport will be reissued to the individual.
