Close X
Monday, December 2, 2024
ADVT 
National

Andrew Scheer not voting in U.S. election

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Oct, 2020 10:17 PM
  • Andrew Scheer not voting in U.S. election

Former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, whose dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship became an issue in last year's federal election, won't be casting a ballot in the upcoming American vote.

Scheer had been in the process of renouncing his U.S. citizenship ahead of the 2019 fall campaign.

But he ended that process after his party failed to form government and he subsequently stepped down as leader.

In the 2016 presidential election, there were approximately 620,000 Americans in Canada who were eligible to cast ballots, though only around 32,000 did.

Scheer was not one of them then either; he said last year he has never voted in U.S. elections.

A spokesperson was asked Wednesday whether he intends to vote this time and the answer was no.

Scheer received American citizenship through his father, a fact that did not become broadly known until last fall's federal election because, he said at the time, no one asked him.

The issue dogged him during the campaign in part because he had previously spoken out against high office holders hanging onto dual citizenships, without disclosing he was among them.

Though he won the leadership of the Conservative party in 2017, he didn't begin to take steps to renounce his American citizenship until just before the 2019 general election.

The decision to renounce was linked to the fact that he had a shot at becoming prime minister, he said at the time.

But the Conservatives failed to defeat the Liberals and Scheer announced in December he was stepping down as party leader, pending the selection of his replacement.

"Given the fact that I won't be prime minister, I discontinued the process," he said in May.

Current Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole is not a citizen of any other country, a spokesperson said Wednesday.

MORE National ARTICLES

Virtual Thanksgiving urged to control COVID-19

Virtual Thanksgiving urged to control COVID-19
Federal officials said earlier Tuesday that 3.4 million Canadians have uploaded the COVID Alert App.

Virtual Thanksgiving urged to control COVID-19

WATCH: BC Liberals vow to scrap ICBC if elected this month

WATCH: BC Liberals vow to scrap ICBC if elected this month
WATCH: BC Liberal Party to Get rid of ICBC if they WIN Fall Elections said Leader Andrew Wilkinson. “When I hear stories of young people with clean driving records stuck with bills of over $5,000 it’s clear the system is failing and needs to be fixed,” added Wilkinson. “Young people face enough pressure these days, so the BC Liberals will make sure they have affordable auto insurance.”

WATCH: BC Liberals vow to scrap ICBC if elected this month

Liberals, NDP block Tory bid to study WE affair

Liberals, NDP block Tory bid to study WE affair
The Tories had sought to get ahead of it by calling witnesses and requesting documents related to the Liberal government's choice to have WE Charity run a multimillion-dollar student program.

Liberals, NDP block Tory bid to study WE affair

Legault to apologize to Joyce Echaquan's family

Legault to apologize to Joyce Echaquan's family
The apology on behalf of the Quebec government comes on the same day as a private funeral is scheduled for Joyce Echaquan in the Atikamekw community of Manawan, about 250 kilometres north of Montreal.

Legault to apologize to Joyce Echaquan's family

COVID-19 messaging a problem, experts say

COVID-19 messaging a problem, experts say
Steven Hoffman, a professor of global health, law and political science at York University, said much of the fault falls at the feet of the provincial government.

COVID-19 messaging a problem, experts say

Scott Moe apologizes to family of crash victim

Scott Moe apologizes to family of crash victim
Moe says he's aware a family member of the woman recently posted online about just learning that Moe was the driver of the other vehicle.

Scott Moe apologizes to family of crash victim