Immigration Canada Issues New Citizenship Guide

November 11, 2009 4:42 a.m. EST

Ottawa, Ontario (AHN) - Ottawa will issue this week a new guide to citizenship. The new guide, to be used by 250,000 immigrants yearly who subsequently acquire Canadian citizenship, will give more emphasis on Canada's military history. It would veer away from the old study guide which portrays the nation merely as a peacekeeper, said Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

An expert panel helped craft the new guide. Among the members of the panel are former Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, historian Jack Granatstein, retired general John de Chastelain and historian Margaret MacMillan.

The new guide is titled "Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship." Among the aspects of Canada's military history that the guide will touch on are the Great War, the Confederation and Quebec's separatist movement.

The ministry is in the midst of reform. A few weeks ago, it imposed visa requirements on Mexican and Czech Republic tourists. Recently, Kenney also announced plan to reduce the refugee visa by 3,000 slots, while the ministry will retain its 240,000 to 265,000 yearly permanent resident visa it would issue in 2010.