Wednesday, December 24, 2025
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

Bottle depots to accept cannabis containers?

Bottle depots to accept cannabis containers?
The Alberta Bottle Depot Association says paying a deposit on the containers and having it returned at dropoff would help divert plastic from landfills and stabilize declines in depot income.

Bottle depots to accept cannabis containers?

Space agency gets first female president

Space agency gets first female president
Longtime public servant Lisa Campbell has been tapped by the Trudeau government to take the agency's reins, the first woman to head the organization since it was founded in 1989.

Space agency gets first female president

Boy, 10, escapes serious injury in cougar attack

Boy, 10, escapes serious injury in cougar attack
The Conservation Officer Service says the animal attacked on Monday near a remote family cabin on Marshall Lake northwest of Lillooet.

Boy, 10, escapes serious injury in cougar attack

Surrey Memorial Hospital declares COVID-19 outbreak

Surrey Memorial Hospital declares  COVID-19 outbreak
Surrey Memorial is working with staff and patients to identify anyone who may have been exposed.

Surrey Memorial Hospital declares COVID-19 outbreak

Surrey Reopens Select Recreation and Culture Centres this Fall with New Safety Measures

Surrey Reopens Select Recreation and Culture Centres this Fall with New Safety Measures
Pre-registered fall programs for families include: Fitness Centres, including weight rooms and group fitness classes Gymnasium sports including badminton, pickleball, tennis, table tennis and more Licensed preschool.

Surrey Reopens Select Recreation and Culture Centres this Fall with New Safety Measures

One killed, two hurt in B.C. Massey Tunnel crash

One killed, two hurt in B.C. Massey Tunnel crash
A 61-year-old woman from Richmond who was travelling northbound died in the crash, while a passenger in her vehicle was hurt.

One killed, two hurt in B.C. Massey Tunnel crash