Thursday, January 1, 2026
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

Experts say not enough proof expensive body cameras will reduce police violence

Experts say not enough proof expensive body cameras will reduce police violence
Ottawa is considering outfitting Canadian police with cameras following protests against violence by some officers, but experts say there is not enough proof the expensive technology is effective.

Experts say not enough proof expensive body cameras will reduce police violence

Pursue Iran in international court over shootdown: victims' family spokesman

Pursue Iran in international court over shootdown: victims' family spokesman
A Canadian spokesman for families and loved ones who were killed in Iran's Jan. 8 shootdown of a Ukrainian airliner says the regime is waging psychological warfare against them by refusing to release its flight recorders.

Pursue Iran in international court over shootdown: victims' family spokesman

A look at COVID-19 cases for US, India, and BC

A look at COVID-19 cases for US, India, and BC
COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the US and India but the numbers for BC are being tackled. BC Health Minister Adrian Dix worried about the jump in cases in certain US states. 

A look at COVID-19 cases for US, India, and BC

Sex assault, luring charges approved after girl alleges attack in Burnaby, B.C.

Sex assault, luring charges approved after girl alleges attack in Burnaby, B.C.
Charges have been laid against a man from Burnaby, B.C., after the RCMP investigated an alleged sexual assault of a child. The RCMP say a girl, whose age has not been released, and her mother reported the allegations to police on May 7.

Sex assault, luring charges approved after girl alleges attack in Burnaby, B.C.

Online portal to connect buyers and sellers of COVID-19 supplies launched

Online portal to connect buyers and sellers of COVID-19 supplies launched
The federal government is launching a web-based portal to help connect buyers and sellers of protective equipment used to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Online portal to connect buyers and sellers of COVID-19 supplies launched

Technical hiccup interrupts Supreme Court as virtual hearing gets underway

Technical hiccup interrupts Supreme Court as virtual hearing gets underway
It seems even Canada's top court isn't immune to the digital gremlins that meddle with online meetings. The Supreme Court of Canada plunged into the world of virtual video hearings Tuesday afternoon to keep the wheels of justice grinding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Technical hiccup interrupts Supreme Court as virtual hearing gets underway