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Which other Canadian politicians have held dual citizenship?
Executive summary
Multiple Canadian politicians — past and present — have held dual (or multiple) citizenships; Canada does not bar dual citizens from sitting in Parliament, and examples span prime ministers, party leaders, MPs and senators [1] [2]. Reporting cites specific names across parties: Stéphane Dion and John Turner, among others, and more recent disclosures include Andrew Scheer and MPs born in countries such as Afghanistan, Lebanon, Portugal, Poland, Pakistan, Syria and the United States [3] [1] [4].
1. Canada’s rule — no legal ban, only expectations
Canadian law requires only that a candidate be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old to run for the House of Commons; it does not forbid holding another citizenship, so dual citizens can and do serve as MPs and senators [1]. That contrasts with countries such as Australia, where constitutional rules have forced disqualifications over foreign citizenship; CBC explicitly contrasts the two situations when describing Canada’s acceptance of MPs and senators with other citizenships [1].
2. High-profile historical examples: prime ministers and leaders
Journalism and historical surveys note elected leaders who held foreign citizenships while in public life. Former prime minister John Turner is cited as having held U.K. citizenship during his time in office [5]. Stéphane Dion, a former Liberal leader, was among at least a dozen MPs identified in CBC research who held dual citizenships in the mid-2000s [3] [2].
3. Recent controversies and named figures
The 2019 federal campaign brought renewed attention: Conservative leader Andrew Scheer disclosed he held U.S. citizenship obtained through his father, and said he was in the process of renouncing it; his status prompted discussion because he had previously criticized others over dual allegiance [6] [4] [7]. The BBC and Global News covered the Scheer revelation and framed it as politically sensitive even if legally permissible [8] [6].
4. Breadth across Parliament — many countries represented
CBC reporting lists MPs and senators holding or eligible for citizenship from a wide range of countries — Afghanistan, Lebanon, Portugal, Poland, Pakistan, Syria, the United Kingdom and the United States — and notes that several MPs born abroad either retained or could renew foreign citizenships as rules in those countries changed [1] [3]. CBC’s 2006 survey named at least 11 MPs with dual citizenships at that time, including Italian- and Indian-origin MPs such as Maurizio Bevilacqua, Albina Guarnieri, Maria Minna, Joe Volpe, Sukh Dhaliwal and Ujjal Dosanjh [3].
5. Political arguments: loyalty, optics and partisanship
Figures in Canadian politics have disagreed about whether leaders should hold only Canadian citizenship. NDP leader Jack Layton expressed a preference for single citizenship for party leaders, while Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe and others saw no problem with dual citizenship [2]. Commentators and politicians have used dual-citizenship revelations as a political cudgel — Scheer’s case was framed as hypocritical by some because his party had previously criticized other public figures for similar statuses [4] [6].
6. Policy debates and differing perspectives
Some analysts argue that dual citizenship does not impair public service — University of Toronto experts told Global News the public need not worry about a politician’s dual citizenship — while others and some op-eds call for higher ethical expectations or renunciation in the highest offices [6] [5]. CBC’s long-form coverage suggests Canada’s approach is pragmatic and permissive compared with stricter jurisdictions [1].
7. Who’s been named in reporting — a non-exhaustive list
Reporting and surveys over the years explicitly name or reference: John Turner (former prime minister) as having had U.K. citizenship [5]; Stéphane Dion among a dozen MPs noted by CBC in 2006 [3]; Andrew Scheer holding U.S. citizenship [4] [7]; and a variety of MPs born in Italy, India and elsewhere who either held or were eligible to hold foreign citizenships [3] [1]. Available sources do not provide a comprehensive, up-to-date roster of every Canadian politician with dual citizenship.
8. Limitations and reading the coverage
The available reporting is patchy: CBC pieces from 2006 and 2017 catalogue many examples but are not exhaustive lists, and news articles around 2019 focus on the political moment around Scheer rather than compiling every case [3] [1] [4]. Academic and opinion pieces cited in the results reflect competing agendas — some urge stricter norms (Forbes, op-eds), while mainstream Canadian outlets document prevalence and legal permissibility [5] [1].
If you’d like, I can compile a focused list of named politicians from these sources and flag which citation mentions each person (keeping in mind sources noted above do not claim to be comprehensive).