Canada Refuses Special Status for Hong Kong Emigres
OTTAWA — Canada will not offer special citizenship rights to people from Hong Kong because the current immigration system offers sufficient opportunities, a Canadian government spokesman said Friday.
The British government had asked Canada to consider such a move to help accommodate an expected large outflow from Hong Kong when the British colony reverts to Chinese rule in 1997.
“There are ample opportunities for Hong Kong residents to qualify” for citizenship, said Robert Peck, a Ministry of External Affairs spokesman.
About 23,000 Hong Kong residents came to Canada last year, making it Canada’s largest source of immigrants, Peck said.
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