Close X
Tuesday, December 3, 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

Canadian orphan child in Syria freed

Canadian orphan child in Syria freed
Her family in Toronto says they were told Sunday that the child, known as Amira, was now in the care of a Canadian consular official.

Canadian orphan child in Syria freed

Canada put workers at risk of COVID-19: report

Canada put workers at risk of COVID-19: report
Mario Possamai, who authored the report and was senior adviser to a two-year commission on SARS, outlines multiple shortcomings by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Canada put workers at risk of COVID-19: report

Alberta researcher shares Nobel prize in medicine

Alberta researcher shares Nobel prize in medicine
British-born scientist Michael Houghton of the university's Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology is one of three recipients of the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus.

Alberta researcher shares Nobel prize in medicine

Man accused in 4 deaths to plead guilty

Man accused in 4 deaths to plead guilty
John Brittain was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder after the shooting in April last year.

Man accused in 4 deaths to plead guilty

Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex Indoor Pool Opens October 13

Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex Indoor Pool Opens October 13
The Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex pool was selected to open first due to its central location and its capacity to handle the needs of both aquatic sport teams and the public.

Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex Indoor Pool Opens October 13

UPDATE: North Vancouver RCMP continuing to search for a missing man after water burst from the Cleveland Dam

UPDATE: North Vancouver RCMP continuing to search for a missing man after water burst from the Cleveland Dam
RCMP believe one adult male remains unaccounted for, and officers are continuing efforts to determine that person's location. RCMP have conduct of the investigation into the missing adult, while BC Coroners Service, have assumed conduct of the investigation to determine the facts into the death of one adult found yesterday.

UPDATE: North Vancouver RCMP continuing to search for a missing man after water burst from the Cleveland Dam