Scheer’s line about his dual citizenship differs from Conservative attacks

OTTAWA — Andrew Scheer was out promoting his plan to tackle gang-related violence Friday but found himself on the defensive about his dual citizenship and other tight spots instead of the signature Conservative tough-on-crime agenda.

The Tory leader was in Toronto Friday to talk about his crime platform, which would see the Canada Border Services Agency do more to stop guns from being smuggled in from the U.S. It also promises new mandatory minimum sentences for some gang-related offences.

Scheer was still having to spend a lot of time talking about how he is in the process of renouncing the dual AmericanCanadian citizenship he has through his U.S.-born father, and why he had never said anything publicly about it.

Scheer, who said he has never renewed his U.S. passport as an adult, said he did not begin the process of giving up his American citizenship until August, despite having decided to do so after winning the Conservative leadership race in 2017.

“It’s not a big deal in Canada for people to have dual citizenship,” Scheer said Friday.

The Conservatives, however, had attacked former NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, as well as former Liberal leader Stéphane Dion, over their dual citizenship with France. Mulcair obtained his citizenship through his wife, who was born in France, and Dion through his mother, also born there.

When asked whether he had brought up his own situation then, Scheer said: “I wasn’t leading the party at that time.”

Scheer also faced questions about whether he had ever earned any U.S. income (no), whether he had registered for the draft with the U.S. Selective Service, as required by law (he did not know, but the party has since confirmed he did) and when his U.S. passport expired (he would have to check).

The Liberals made a thinly veiled reference to the issue when they sent out a news release about the Conservatives’ approach to law and order. “Andrew Scheer wants to bring American-style gun laws to Canada,” said the statement from Liberal candidate Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has been comparing Scheer to Ontario Conservative Premier Doug Ford, whose government is in a labour dispute with education workers that could shut down schools next week. “I think people in Ontario understand that there have been strikes at the education level against every political party who has been in office,” Scheer said when asked what impact that could have on his electoral fortunes.