The "Lost Canadians" legislation has successfully passed through the Senate and is set to become law. This bill addresses the issue of citizenship by descent for Canadians born outside the country to Canadian parents. The term "Lost Canadians" refers specifically to these individuals, who have faced challenges in obtaining citizenship due to previous legal changes.

In 2009, the Canadian government amended the citizenship law, restricting the ability of Canadians born abroad to pass on their citizenship unless their children were also born in Canada. However, this change was ruled unconstitutional by the Ontario Superior Court in December 2023. The new legislation allows Canadian citizenship to be passed down to individuals born abroad beyond the first generation, provided that their parents spent a cumulative three years in Canada before the child's birth or adoption.

Saskatchewan Senator David Arnot raised concerns that the bill does not extend to "intercountry adoptees," who are children adopted from other countries by Canadian parents. If these adoptees have children born outside Canada, those children would not automatically receive Canadian citizenship. Although Arnot did not propose an amendment to the bill, he emphasized the need for future changes to address this issue, especially since the court has mandated that the law be enacted by January 20.

The passage of this bill marks a significant step in rectifying the citizenship challenges faced by many Canadians and their descendants born abroad. As the legislation moves forward, it is expected to provide clarity and support for those affected by the previous citizenship rules.