The government will be introducing new legislation that aims to streamline the removal of foreign nationals who have been convicted of serious crimes.

Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney made the announcement Tuesday in Toronto.

He said the Removal of Serious Foreign Criminals Act will remove roadblocks that prevent the removal of convicted foreign nationals and certain permanent residents.

"We are addressing challenges that prevent us from effectively removing foreign criminals who have broken our laws and who have abused the generosity of Canadians," he said. "We have a duty to keep Canadians safe."

Under the new legislation, Blaney said convicted foreign nationals and certain permanent residents will no longer be able to avoid removal by seeking record suspensions, previously called "pardons."

Blaney referred to the case of Raed Jaser, one of two suspects found guilty last March on eight terror-related charges in the Via Rail terror plot. Jaser came to Canada in the early 1990s.

In 2004, immigration officials arrested Jaser, who has been convicted of fraud and uttering threats, but were not able to deport him.

Jaser, who is of Palestinian descent and was born in the United Arab Emirates, was granted a pardon and eventually acquired permanent resident status.

Blaney said the bill will also allow Canada to arrange for the transfer of a convicted foreign national back to their country of origin to serve their sentence, without requiring the consent of the criminal.

The bill will also revoke the protected person status from refugees who have been deemed a "danger to Canada," before they are removed from the country, Blaney said.

This will ensure that they can't try to re-enter Canada with that protected status, the minister said.

Blaney said the new bill will not only help make communities safer, but will save taxpayers money as the process for removing foreign criminals becomes more streamlined.

CTV News' Mercedes Stephenson said while the new legislation will likely only affect a small number of cases, it falls in line with the Conservatives tough-on-crime agenda.

"This is new legislation, but it's in the same sort of vein of what the government has been pursuing," she said.