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Dual
citizenship is a non-issue
The
Woodstock Sentinel-Review
Re: Dion must surrender his dual citizenship (letter to the editor, Jan. 11, Sentinel-Review).
Jim Bender
Woodstock
Friday January 12, 2007
The issue of whether or not Stéphane Dion retains his dual citizenship
should be considered a non-issue. His granted French citizenship is a result of
birthright and the manner in which French law permits the offspring of
French-born parents to obtain citizenship as a result of his birth (his
mothers’ birthplace was France).
In Canada many of us are proud and encouraged to celebrate our historical
ancestral heritage in many formats, hence the Embro Highland Games and
Toronto’s’ Caribana. There are countless Canadians who are serving not only
in government, municipal, provincial and federal alike, but operate the
bureaucracy of the nation as well, with just as much interest in the national
outcome as a person who holds only Canadian citizenship.
Hundreds of our soldiers serving with our military overseas are dual national
citizens.
Our local member of Parliament utilized Scottish rituals and music during
his first election to the house. Would this indicate that Dave MacKenzie is not
worthy of representing Oxford, as he has indicated an affinity for his natural
heritage? I think not.
Recently another floor crosser joined the Conservatives, Wajid Khan, a dual
national, former Pakistani military officer, now adviser to Mr. Harper on Middle
East affairs. There was absolutely no stink about it, aside from the routine
condemnation of the opposition that would have gladly taken a new member from a
party as well if the opportunity arose.
Canada being the melting pot it is, comprised of a vast selection of people from
every nation on earth, has bigger concerns ahead of it than the issue of a dual
national running for prime minister. Perhaps if Mr. Dion wins his quest, he will
bring a new international European perspective into the paradigm of Canadian
politics, something I’m not afraid of. It has to be better than the
U.S.-styled policies we are being bombarded with.
I sometimes think the old gaps between French and English we thought had been
healed long ago remain very evident in comments made by the author of the letter
published Jan. 11.
