Sunday, December 21, 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

Quebec author acquitted of child pornography charge

Quebec author acquitted of child pornography charge
Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard also ruled that certain articles of Canada's child pornography laws violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and are therefore invalid.

Quebec author acquitted of child pornography charge

Trudeau urges vigilance as COVID cases reach 150K

Trudeau urges vigilance as COVID cases reach 150K
With cases surging in Ontario and Quebec hotspots, Trudeau implored on the public to adhere to public health guidelines, stressing that "what we do now, will be critical for the weeks and months to come."

Trudeau urges vigilance as COVID cases reach 150K

MP Tabbara's case adjourned another month

MP Tabbara's case adjourned another month
Tabbara was elected as a Liberal in 2015 and 2019 but left the caucus to sit as an Independent in June after the charges became public.

MP Tabbara's case adjourned another month

WATCH: Bearded RCMP officers face discrimination over mask policy and Farmers in India protest agriculture bills

WATCH: Bearded RCMP officers face discrimination over mask policy and Farmers in India protest agriculture bills
WATCH: Some bearded RCMP officers assigned desk duty during the COVID19 pandemic feeling being discriminated against. Farmers in India protest blocking railways and streets in relation to agriculture bills.

WATCH: Bearded RCMP officers face discrimination over mask policy and Farmers in India protest agriculture bills

Tories' Sunday sitting for aid bill shot down

Tories' Sunday sitting for aid bill shot down
The CERB, which has helped almost nine million Canadians stay afloat during the pandemic, ends on Saturday.

Tories' Sunday sitting for aid bill shot down

Calgary Zoo hopes pandas will be China-bound soon

Calgary Zoo hopes pandas will be China-bound soon
The zoo says international permit approvals are now underway and it's cautiously optimistic it will be able to confirm a flight to China for the pandas soon.

Calgary Zoo hopes pandas will be China-bound soon