Thursday, December 25, 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

Central bank seeks input on inflation target

Central bank seeks input on inflation target
The Bank of Canada is turning to the public for input on its inflation-rate target that underlies any changes to the central bank's trend-setting interest rate.

Central bank seeks input on inflation target

Firearm measures must clear several hurdles

Firearm measures must clear several hurdles
An internal government note says several federal gun-control measures that received royal assent over a year ago, including expanded background checks, might not come into effect before 2022.

Firearm measures must clear several hurdles

WATCH: Erin O'Toole, Conservative party of Canada Gets New Leader | FDA Approves Plasma Therapy Covid19

WATCH: Erin O'Toole,  Conservative party of Canada Gets New Leader | FDA Approves Plasma Therapy Covid19
Conservative Party of Canada has a new face. Andrew Scheer is replaced by Erin O' Toole as the new party leader under the Conservative banner.

WATCH: Erin O'Toole, Conservative party of Canada Gets New Leader | FDA Approves Plasma Therapy Covid19

B.C. announces complex care site for children

B.C. announces complex care site for children
Children in British Columbia with extraordinary health needs that require complex care are to receive support at a single site scheduled to open in Vancouver.

B.C. announces complex care site for children

Wildfire evacuation alert lifted for Penticton, B.C.

Wildfire evacuation alert lifted for Penticton, B.C.
An evacuation alert has been lifted for nearly 3,700 properties in the path of a wildfire in British Columbia's south Okanagan region, while hundreds of others forced out of their homes could be allowed to return soon.

Wildfire evacuation alert lifted for Penticton, B.C.

Drug-dispensing machines to fight opioid crisis

Drug-dispensing machines to fight opioid crisis
A Halifax-area company is rolling out five automated drug-dispensing devices across Canada this week that it says will help battle the country's opioid crisis.

Drug-dispensing machines to fight opioid crisis