Stephane Dion and dual citizenship
I wonder what Pat Martin's game is. After all, NDP policy, enunciated only a month and a half ago, is that dual citizens are a bonus to Canada. Bill Siksay who announced it still thinks so but Jack Layton now thinks maybe the PM should be Canadian only. I'd love to hear what Olivia Chow's opinion is - or Libby Davies' or even Svend Robinson's. Certainly some other bloggers seem surprised with Layton's stance, like Politique Vert, blevkog, idealisticpragmatist, where'd that bug go?
It seems that some feel denied the opportunity to question the patriotism of the Leader of the Opposition by world-traveller (or more importantly in terms of venom, former resident of the US) Michael Ignatieff's failure to close the deal, and therefore have turned their guns on Dion.
It has been noted elsewhere that while Ezra Levant might have been the first to demand Dion renounce his citizenship of France, he was not the first to report it by any means - the September 6 Globe and Mail reported it, as well as the fact that Dion had never possessed a French passport or voted in a French election. Funny how it's only an issue now he's won.
As for Dion and divided loyalties, the only one I can think of offhand is a future border dispute between St. Pierre et Miquelon and Newfoundland. It's difficult to credit that his loyalty can be questioned given the sheer ferocity of his devotion to keeping Canada united over the last decade and a half.
The Tories should watch their step on this, because it might focus attention on their own foreign born MPs, such as Grewal, Obhrai, Toews, Clement, Thompson and Ablonczy - particularly the latter two given the visceral reactions in the Star to the thought of an American Prime Minister.
I wonder did English-born John Turner face the questions asked of Quebec City native Dion when he became leader of the Liberal Party?
Meanwhile dual citizen Arnold Schwarzenegger keeps getting asked (most recently by Tim Russert on Meet The Press) if he'd run for President if the natural born citizen clause was revoked.
Dion should stand firm. His citizenship was unsought but rather the gift of a parent, a gift I hope one day to bestow. I'm sure Michaelle Jean is watching carefully too.
UPDATE: CTV's David Akin has a list of foreign born MPs.
It seems that some feel denied the opportunity to question the patriotism of the Leader of the Opposition by world-traveller (or more importantly in terms of venom, former resident of the US) Michael Ignatieff's failure to close the deal, and therefore have turned their guns on Dion.
It has been noted elsewhere that while Ezra Levant might have been the first to demand Dion renounce his citizenship of France, he was not the first to report it by any means - the September 6 Globe and Mail reported it, as well as the fact that Dion had never possessed a French passport or voted in a French election. Funny how it's only an issue now he's won.
As for Dion and divided loyalties, the only one I can think of offhand is a future border dispute between St. Pierre et Miquelon and Newfoundland. It's difficult to credit that his loyalty can be questioned given the sheer ferocity of his devotion to keeping Canada united over the last decade and a half.
The Tories should watch their step on this, because it might focus attention on their own foreign born MPs, such as Grewal, Obhrai, Toews, Clement, Thompson and Ablonczy - particularly the latter two given the visceral reactions in the Star to the thought of an American Prime Minister.
I wonder did English-born John Turner face the questions asked of Quebec City native Dion when he became leader of the Liberal Party?
Meanwhile dual citizen Arnold Schwarzenegger keeps getting asked (most recently by Tim Russert on Meet The Press) if he'd run for President if the natural born citizen clause was revoked.
Dion should stand firm. His citizenship was unsought but rather the gift of a parent, a gift I hope one day to bestow. I'm sure Michaelle Jean is watching carefully too.
UPDATE: CTV's David Akin has a list of foreign born MPs.
Comments
Unlike the Americans, we don't require our supreme leader to be native born, but I don't think it's asking too much of someone whose second citizenship was acquired, not born into, that once they attain the position of Opposition Leader or PM that they take steps to be a citizen of one country only: Canada. (BTW I'm a dual citizen.)