Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is a dual Canadian-U.S. citizen

BEDFORD, N.S. — Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is a dual Canadian-United States citizen and is in the process of renouncing his American citizenship, his campaign director of communications confirmed Thursday.

The Globe and Mail first reported that the Tory leader’s father was born in the U.S. and therefore Scheer and his sisters received American citizenship as a result.

Both he and his siblings were given United States passports as children, spokesman Brock Harrison said, but Scheer let his expire.

Harrison said that once Scheer became leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, he decided he would renounce his U.S. citizenship before the election.

Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair and former Liberal leader Stephane Dion both faced attacks from Conservatives over their dual citizenship with France; Mulcair acquired citizenship through his French-born wife and Dion through his French-both mother.

Scheer is on the campaign trail in Nova Scotia and he is scheduled to speak at a rally at a Chinese restaurant later Thursday night in Bedford.

“In August, he informed the United States government that he was renouncing his citizenship. He has submitted his paperwork and is currently waiting for confirmation from the embassy that he is no longer a dual-citizen,” Harrison said.

Scheer has not voted in any United States election, he added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2019.

The Canadian Press