I believe there are a fair number of 'citizens' who are Canadian's by convenience. The ones who don't do anything to or for Canada and who generally forget they are Canadian unless they require something from Canada (like a rescue). I feel as a free citizen of Canada, that I should have the right to question these individuals motives, patriotism, nationalism and their bathroom habits if I so choose.
I was born and raised in Canada, a Canadian Citizen, now living in Australia.... and while I'll probably make my way back to Canada to live in a few years, I may also gain my Citizenship for Australia.... thus dual.
It's very easy to blanket the situation with a comment like the above, focusing on those from other countries who've moved to Canada out of "Convenience".... yet what about those who were born and raised in Canada who head off to another country and become dual citizens of that nation?
Are they doing it all out of convenience?
Am I doing it out of mere convenience??
I call Bullsh*t on comments like that.
Both countries, Canada and Australia, are now my homes.... I have family in both nations, I have lives in both nations and I give a damn towards what happens in both nations.
This crap about someone being less of a Canadian merely because they actually got off their ass to see the world and live life somewhere else for a while is just that.... utter crap from narrow minded, rednecks who are too afraid of stepping outside of their own country to see what's really going on for those around the world other than what they get fed from the news and politicians.
I've been saying this long before I left Canada: Canada isn't the greatest country in the world.... neither is Australia, or the UK, or the US or anywhere for that matter.
If a country was indeed the greatest nation in the world, we'd all be living under their flag because we'd all want to be a part of that way of life.
The reality is that every nation has it's pros and cons.
In regards to this guy in the NDP who has citizenship with France.... what does it matter if he has French, British, Indian or some other citizenship along with Canadian?
Conflict of interest?
Hardly.
If he can do his job, if he can represent those who voted for him, if he actually does his best to make the country a little better than it was.... then nothing else matters & he probably couldn't do anymore of a worse job than any other politician out there. The fact is, he lives in Canada, this is his home now and he is in politics to try and contribute to this nation (at least one would hope)
The moment he looks like he's not doing his job, the moment he seems to be trying to sway things to favor France or whatever.... then drop him and put someone else in.
This whole fear mongering over someone holding dual citizenship is pointless dribble.
If I was in politics in Canada, held a Canadian & Australian Citizenship, I would still do my job as expected, I would still focus on what is important for the nation I live in, for the nation that my family lives in..... if something came along that involved Australia and looked like there could be a conflict, I'd avoid the situation and allow someone else to handle that situation.
And if I was a politician in Australia.... it'd be the same thing.
It's funny how Harper targets this guy for trying to lead the NDP because he has a French Citizenship.... yet Iggy was allowed to lead the Liberals.... and Dion also had a French Citizenship.
In regards to this, I suppose it doesn't matter if your birth nation is Canada.... but if you get your Canadian Citizenship 2nd, then something's wrong.
And Harper can go on and say crap like
"In my case, as I say, I'm very clear. I'm a Canadian and only a Canadian." .... well that's all well and good.... but why do you act like an American within Canadian Politics??
Just because someone only holds one citizenship, that doesn't mean they're more patriotic (or act more patriotic) than someone who holds two.
What about all the people who hold only a Canadian Citizenship who commit criminal acts against the people within Canada, who sell out their nation to other countries for a profit, who demand everything yet contribute nothing, who don't vote, etc. etc....
.... are they somehow more patriotic than someone who holds dual citizenship yet contribute to society, who help their neighbors, who abide by the laws of the land, who actually gets into politics because they want to somehow better the nation they call home?
Oh but since they have dual citizenship with Canada and another nation, they have two homes.
Well a bunch of people have more than one home within the nation they live in, should they be forced to only have one? You have people who have a home in say Nova Scotia, who work half the year there, yet work the other half of the year in Ontario where they have another home.... shall we start to delve deeper into this and try to argue they prefer one province over the other or should only live in one or the other, but not both?
The only reason why people have an issue with others having dual citizenship is because those people are narrow minded & ignorant.... whom seem fearful of someone that might have a broader perspective of the world around them and also fear that since they are also a citizen of another nation, that they're going to jump at the first chance to sell them out to the other nation.
It doesn't anger me.... I'm not insulted by those kinds of people like Harper.... I think think it's all BS and they're ignorant.
If you think remaining bottled up in one nation all your life and avoiding living elsewhere in the world other than as a tourist makes you somehow a better person or more patriotic than someone who does..... then that's your loss.
Thats great. Your wife sounds like a wonderful person who believes in getting involved in her community and she deserves kudos for that. However that is a long way from being a part of a country's leadership and possibily facing a conflict of interest if she has to make a decision on an issue where her choice can affect the well-being of thousands of people in both countries.
That is the difference that too many seem to be willing to gloss over.
The other country is irrelevant.
If I was leading Canada and there was a deal between Canada and Australia to be sorted out.... I am representing Canada, my job is to defend Canada's interests, therefore I would be trying to get the best deal for Canadians.... not Australians.... that's their PM's job, not mine.
And vice versa.... if I got my Aussie Citizenship, and if I could run for PM for Australia and win..... if a trade deal or something else similar occurred between Canada and Australia.... while Canada is where I was born and raised and I still have close ties to Canada... my Job is to defend Australian interests and its people, therefore I would seek out the best deal for Australia.
If I went into the meeting seeking to give Canada the better deal at the cost of the Australian people, I'd expect to get my ass dragged through the coals..... same if I was Canadian PM cutting Australia a better deal.... I'd have my ass dragged through the snow.