How one B.C. woman is fighting “birth tourism” from China

Birth tourism. Have you heard about it? I know I hadn’t until recently. And its exactly as it sounds. Foreign nationals travel to countries like Canada, the US and Australia to give birth to a child who will be granted citizenship and all the benefits that come with it.

It’s not illegal in Canada or the US, but does this kind of new citizenship benefit or strain our country? Eighteen years after the child is born here via birth tourism, they can apply to sponsor their parents to come to Canada and gain citizenship, too, under our family reunification program.

But even before that, the parents can enroll their Canadian child into elementary school as young as five and then be granted residency here.

Much of the new immigration to the west coast of North America originates from mainland China. Birth tourism gives Chinese citizens a way out of their country. I have zero problem with immigration from China or anywhere in the far east. But as the National Post reported in July, there are 26 private residences in Victoria alone “offering hospitality services to foreign pregnant women.”

I met with Kerry Starchuk, a Richmond resident for the past 28 years, who told me not only is her neighbourhood filled with empty foreign owned properties and new construction but also a few of these birth houses.

As Kerry mentioned, she has 8000 signatures on her petition. If you want to add your name, you can click here.