Saturday, December 27, 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

Two die after fish boat sinks off Vancouver Island

Two die after fish boat sinks off Vancouver Island
The British Columbia Coroners Service says two people have died after a Canadian fishing boat sank in waters west of Vancouver Island.

Two die after fish boat sinks off Vancouver Island

WATCH: Russia Approves First Covid19 Vaccine | AirCanada To ReOpen India Route | Cases Rise in BC #covid19

WATCH:  Russia Approves First Covid19 Vaccine | AirCanada To ReOpen India Route | Cases Rise in BC #covid19
Russia approves the world's first COVID-19 vaccine, Putin claims tested on own daughter, but scientific community is skeptical.

WATCH: Russia Approves First Covid19 Vaccine | AirCanada To ReOpen India Route | Cases Rise in BC #covid19

Rigorous private school plans show education inequities

Rigorous private school plans show education inequities
With children in both public and private schools, Toronto mom Karuna Satov is weighing two very different back-to-school pandemic plans.

Rigorous private school plans show education inequities

Return to B.C. classrooms pushed back

Return to B.C. classrooms pushed back
British Columbia's education minister says students won't be back in classrooms on the originally planned date of Sept. 8.

Return to B.C. classrooms pushed back

Ottawa launches revised CEWS calculator

Ottawa launches revised CEWS calculator
The federal government has launched an updated calculator to help employers estimate what help they might receive from the next phase of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy.

Ottawa launches revised CEWS calculator

Aid to Lebanon a signal of long-term help: Gould

Aid to Lebanon a signal of long-term help: Gould
Canada's decision to increase its humanitarian aid to Lebanon recognizes the country already faced significant turmoil before last week's explosion and will need long-term support, International Development Minister Karina Gould said Tuesday.

Aid to Lebanon a signal of long-term help: Gould