Should MP's be allowed dual citizenship?

Tecumsehsbones

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Ain't all Canadians kinda dual citizens? Y'know, voting for the Canadian Parliament, but also subjects of the lord and master over there in England (where y'all can't vote)?

What if the MP was born in Britain, the US or another western country?
Just sayin'
Good point. If you're, say, Norwegian, and you want to be Canadian, is there even a way to force Norway to revoke your citizenship?

By the way, thank you for admitting that this question isn't about ALL other countries.

The Conservatives should look into bringing back the Chinese Exclusion Act.
 

pgs

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Ain't all Canadians kinda dual citizens? Y'know, voting for the Canadian Parliament, but also subjects of the lord and master over there in England (where y'all can't vote)?


Good point. If you're, say, Norwegian, and you want to be Canadian, is there even a way to force Norway to revoke your citizenship?

By the way, thank you for admitting that this question isn't about ALL other countries.

The Conservatives should look into bringing back the Chinese Exclusion Act.
That was a liberal initiative. But hey don’t let facts spoil your bigotry .
 

Serryah

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Ain't all Canadians kinda dual citizens? Y'know, voting for the Canadian Parliament, but also subjects of the lord and master over there in England (where y'all can't vote)?

Shh, don't complicate the issue :p

Good point. If you're, say, Norwegian, and you want to be Canadian, is there even a way to force Norway to revoke your citizenship?

To be honest, that thought never occurred to me.

By the way, thank you for admitting that this question isn't about ALL other countries.

True.

The Conservatives should look into bringing back the Chinese Exclusion Act.

I guess here's where I swing a little more to the right.

Due to the actions going on in/with China and India lately, IMO no dual-citizen should be allowed to be an MP (not just Indian or Chinese, but they're the big two lately).

Vote, sure, but not someone who becomes part of our Government.

If the person is willing to step away from their Indian/Chinese citizenship - even if the other Governments say no we won't deny them - that might open the door to negotiation.

But personally I do not trust the Indian nor Chinese Government. And if an MP - or even MLA - wants to be part of the CANADIAN Government system, they should be Canadian focused. I realize that it won't mean they suddenly aren't able to be bought/bribed/whatever from said Governments - or other Governments, say - but it'd give the Canadian governments a little more wiggle room, IMO, to deal with said people if things do go sideways.
 
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IdRatherBeSkiing

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My son is a dual citizen as his mom was American. He has grown up in Canada. He has voted in prior American and Canadian elections. If he was interested at all in running for office, I don't see why he can't represent his riding. Just because he is also American does not mean he serves an American master. I don't think dual citizenship alone should disqualify a person. I would expect every MP to take an oath to this country and face consequences if he/she was ever found to not be doing so.
 

B00Mer

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Senator Ted Cruz of Texas gave up is Canadian citizenship..

Western country or not.. you represent Canadians, and like a judge recuses himself from case, a Canadian politician should be conflicted or have allegiance to another country. Period.
 

Serryah

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My son is a dual citizen as his mom was American. He has grown up in Canada. He has voted in prior American and Canadian elections. If he was interested at all in running for office, I don't see why he can't represent his riding. Just because he is also American does not mean he serves an American master. I don't think dual citizenship alone should disqualify a person. I would expect every MP to take an oath to this country and face consequences if he/she was ever found to not be doing so.

Being dual American/Canadian citizen, there'd be less an issue.

If your son was dual Chinese/Canadian or Indian/Canadian, then at least there'd be lots of questions that'd be asked/need answering, IMO.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

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Being dual American/Canadian citizen, there'd be less an issue.

If your son was dual Chinese/Canadian or Indian/Canadian, then at least there'd be lots of questions that'd be asked/need answering, IMO.
I don't see the difference. Both would be asked some additional questions and both would need to provide satisfactory answers.
 

Tecumsehsbones

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I don't see the difference. Both would be asked some additional questions and both would need to provide satisfactory answers.
"Satisfactory" to whom? The party in power? The Men in Black? The Special Rapporteur for Candidate Acceptability?

And you do realize that good ol' lumberjack Canadians are every bit as capable of treason as them shifty-eyed dual citizens, right?
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

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"Satisfactory" to whom? The party in power? The Men in Black? The Special Rapporteur for Candidate Acceptability?

And you do realize that good ol' lumberjack Canadians are every bit as capable of treason as them shifty-eyed dual citizens, right?
The people voting them in. Most likely the questions would come from the reporters.

And my original point was: "I don't think dual citizenship alone should disqualify a person. I would expect every MP to take an oath to this country and face consequences if he/she was ever found to not be doing so.". Obviously whomever was doing something wrong should face the consequences.
 

pgs

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Elizabeth May is a dual citizen yet her loyalty is to neither of those countries .
 
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IdRatherBeSkiing

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As Australia ousts MPs with dual citizenship, Canada's Parliament embraces many in its ranks​


From this article:
NDP MP Randall Garrison, who came to Canada 44 years ago, assumed his U.S. citizenship was automatically rescinded because he did not meet several requirements for continued citizenship. He only learned that was not the case when taking part in a parliamentary delegation to Washington in March 2017, when he was told he was ineligible to enter the U.S. on a Canadian passport because he was a U.S. citizen.

This does not seem right as my son has made the trip several times.

At any rate, if these people have conspired with another government, throw them too the wolves. But just having had another citizenship or having a second citizenship alone is not enough for me to get excited. I also think this "witch hunt" is all because a certain PM won't release the names of who actually did conspire.
 

Tecumsehsbones

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From this article:
NDP MP Randall Garrison, who came to Canada 44 years ago, assumed his U.S. citizenship was automatically rescinded because he did not meet several requirements for continued citizenship. He only learned that was not the case when taking part in a parliamentary delegation to Washington in March 2017, when he was told he was ineligible to enter the U.S. on a Canadian passport because he was a U.S. citizen.

This does not seem right as my son has made the trip several times.

At any rate, if these people have conspired with another government, throw them too the wolves. But just having had another citizenship or having a second citizenship alone is not enough for me to get excited. I also think this "witch hunt" is all because a certain PM won't release the names of who actually did conspire.
The only way I can think of to lose U.S. citizenship is to take a public position that requires an oath of allegiance to another country (like military or MP). Even then, it's not like we spend a lot of money scanning the globe for such people and ceremonially stripping them of their citizenship.

Also, before anybody gets cranked up, the U.S. specifically permits dual citizenship with one country: Israel.