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The extension would ultimately give the Conservatives more time to obtain permission from the House to open up the bill and alter its scope before the clause by clause review begins.

While Sims argues Tilson himself ruled many of the amendments were out-of-order, the government maintains the Speaker, in a ruling last month, confirmed efforts to re-scope the bill were procedurally sound.

The original bill sought to fast-track citizenship for permanent residents who promise to serve three years in the Canadian Forces. It would allow them to become citizens in two years instead of three.

After it came to light that a Canadian dual national was involved in a Hezbollah-linked bus bombing in Bulgaria that killed five Israeli tourists, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney suggested the government amend Shory’s bill so that it also strip citizenship from dual nationals, born in Canada or abroad, involved in acts of terror. It would not apply to those who only have Canadian citizenship as it’s against international law to render somebody stateless.

“If this minister wants to have a bill that addresses terrorism, he should bring it forward as a government legislation, not try to parachute (it) into a private member’s bill,” Sims said. “There is not a member of Parliament on any side of the House . . . that supports acts of violence or terrorism of any sort. We will gladly sit down with government, if they decide to bring forward legislation that will actually tackle some of those issues.”

Kenney called the Opposition’s tactics nothing more than “bad faith parliamentary gimmickry” and argued Shory himself wanted the changes to be included in his bill.