Did Dion vote in French Presidential election?

[cowtown]

I saw a small heading on bourque about this. Does anyone know if he did or not?

[August1991]

No, he did not. He has never voted in French election.

[Canuck E Stan]

No, he did not. He has never voted in French election.

So why bother being a citizen?

[gc1765]

So why bother being a citizen?

Why bother caring if he is a citizen?

[Michael Bluth]

Why bother caring if he is a citizen?

Why have a Prime Minister?

[M.Dancer]

No, he did not. He has never voted in French election.

So why bother being a citizen?

Discounts for cheese and wine. They don't like to mention it, but French Citizens also have special allowances for amazingly good bread....

Salut!

[M.Dancer]

Has Bourque ever got one of his unsourcede tips right?

[normanchateau]

No, he did not. He has never voted in French election.

So why bother being a citizen?

The good news is that Dion gallantly stated that he'd give it up if he thought that it would "keep Mr. Harper in power".

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/12/07/dion-france.html

[Shakeyhands]

UNBELIEVABLE.... you guys are really scrapping the bottom now!

hilarious.

[geoffrey]

Not so fast Shakey, it's a valid question. Had Dion voted in the election, I would have had some serious concerns. It's good to get that off the table. It would be highly inappropriate for the opposition leader to be voting in foreign elections and influencing foreign politics.

Back to Dion's citizenship, however, one has to understand in politics (and business), it's not about conflict of interest. It's about perceived conflict of interest... and a reasonable person would wonder about it... so he should change it.

[Remiel]

Well, there are more perceptions than conflicts of interest. Personally, I perceive that for him to give it up would be a sign of weakness, too willing to bow down under the pressure of his opponents shoddy attack.

[Charles Anthony]

Why bother this? Why bother that? Why? Why? Why?

These questions are silly and I also believe that Dion handled this issue in a silly manner.

Dion should have looked whoever asked him this question in the face and unequivocally said: "Look. You follow me every step I take. If I ever go to France to exercise my right to vote in French election, I will invite YOU personally to follow me with all of your cameras into the urn and watch what I do. After that, we will have a glass of French wine, eat some French cheese and you will go back with your video. Are you happy??? Now, buzz off!" If he was not quick enough speaking in English, he could have said it in French.

The Canadian public would laugh and realize how trivially inconsequential this issue truly is.

Dion should have learned from Chretien.

[Canuck E Stan]

Dion should have learned from Chretien.

Or better,from the GG.

[Fortunata]

I don't think this issue is trivial. It is apparent that Dion has more than one loyalty and should not ever be PM of this country. He should step down now and let an only Canadian be leader of the Libs. I mean what the hell were the Libs thinking, or did they even know he was a dual citizen?

[Remiel]

It has been said before here: Extra citizenship was never an issue when John Turner was Prime Minister.

[Leader Circle]

Every screw up that this turnip(Dion) makes...is just a greater chance of Harper getting his majority!!

Hopefully Dion will get caught humping a sheep. Maybe he'll step down & let "Mr. bilingual schools Trudeau" take over...LMAO.

[Michael Bluth]

It has been said before here: Extra citizenship was never an issue when John Turner was Prime Minister.

John Turner was PM for how many weeks?

If it wasn't an issue it should have been.

[M.Dancer]

It has been said before here: Extra citizenship was never an issue when John Turner was Prime Minister.

John Turner was PM for how many weeks?

If it wasn't an issue it should have been.

It wasn't an issue. Wasn't an issue for John A either......

[g_bambino]

I don't think this issue is trivial. It is apparent that Dion has more than one loyalty and should not ever be PM of this country. He should step down now and let an only Canadian be leader of the Libs. I mean what the hell were the Libs thinking, or did they even know he was a dual citizen?

Why does the problem with dual citizenship stop at the governor general and the prime minister? Even a potential prime minister, which could be anyone really. Why shouldn't every member of Cabinet, who all minister the Crown, not be Canadian only? What about all the members of the Privy Council? The RCMP? The Armed Forces? All the people in these organizations swear allegiance to the Queen of Canada, and serve her and the country, but what happens when they also have allegiance to a foreign head of state/constitution/flag/whatever as well?

I'm not saying I have the answer, but it's something to think about: if it's not going to be all or nothing, then where do we draw the line?

[Kapitän Rotbart]

I don't think this issue is trivial. It is apparent that Dion has more than one loyalty and should not ever be PM of this country. He should step down now and let an only Canadian be leader of the Libs. I mean what the hell were the Libs thinking, or did they even know he was a dual citizen?

Why does the problem with dual citizenship stop at the governor general and the prime minister? Even a potential prime minister, which could be anyone really. Why shouldn't every member of Cabinet, who all minister the Crown, not be Canadian only? What about all the members of the Privy Council? The RCMP? The Armed Forces? All the people in these organizations swear allegiance to the Queen of Canada, and serve her and the country, but what happens when they also have allegiance to a foreign head of state/constitution/flag/whatever as well?

I'm not saying I have the answer, but it's something to think about: if it's not going to be all or nothing, then where do we draw the line?

I'd say being born Canadian should be enough (and I wish that were the one and only criteria to enter Canadian politics). America and Mexico would never let someone born outside the respective country to become president and it makes sense. However, there's no reason to stop dual-citizens from entering politics; having another citizenship does not make a Canadian citizen any less Canadian than the rest.

Seriously though, if Dion voted in French elections, that's his business. I'd vote in foreign politics had I been dual citizen... why not? Citizens of a given country 'should' vote, including those living abroad. Taking from Dion's platform, he'd probably vote left, against the Nationalist biggot who was elected. I'm conservative myself, but nationalism is simply authoritarian corruption, so it wouldn't matter if it were fascism or communism (and a French politician who doesn't like Germany is not going to be governing favorably).

[August1991]

I'm not saying I have the answer, but it's something to think about: if it's not going to be all or nothing, then where do we draw the line?

That's a very good question, bambino.

The Americans draw it at their President.

It says something that posters here, for some reason, seem to draw the line at our federal prime minister.

----

Bonar Law was Canadian born but became Prime Minister in Britain. And if we're speaking of allegiance, the British had a Jewish PM - Disraeli - in the 19th century. As bambino would no doubt argue, it is the unrestricted nature of the Crown's principal advisor that makes monarchy so attractive a system of government.

Or how about Sarkozy? His parents were born abroad. Or Napoleon - he was born in Corsica. (And Stalin in Georgia and Hitler in Austria. Then again, maybe these last two are not such good examples.... )

George I was not born in England, Catherine the Great was not born in Russia and Marie-Antoinette was not born in France. (Then again, what exactly was the monarchist argument Bambino... )

Stéphane Dion was born in Canada and he's a Canadian citizen. More important, he's perfectly competent to be prime minister of Canada and I don't doubt for an instant his loyalty. For anyone who knows anything of Canadian politics, Dion has demonstrated a loyalty that most English-Canadians can blithely state and never have to test.

Dion received his French citizenship through his mother. Canadians should be proud that foreigners choose to come and live among us and they and their children succeed in life.

[Michael Bluth]

Dion received his French citizenship through his mother. Canadians should be proud that foreigners choose to come and live among us and they and their children succeed in life.

What f*cking ever.

This isn't about some misguided source of "pride".

Canada is a first world country. Of course there are many, many people who want to live here for that reason alone.

This is about a man who aspires to be the Prime Minister of the country having dual citizenship.

It's not too much to ask for him to show the utmost of loyalty to the country he wants to be leader of.

[Fortunata]

If a PM is a dual citizen it will always be an issue whether his policies and actions serve one country without consideration of the "other" country. Having Dion as PM would be bad enough for the Stevies without the duality. Can you imagine Question Period? Has Steve released an attack ad about this yet?

[Michael Bluth]

Has Steve Prime Minister Harper released an attack a contrast ad about this yet?

No. Probably won't happen.

Wouldn't play well in Quebec.

[gc1765]

It's not too much to ask for him to show the utmost of loyalty to the country he wants to be leader of.

Do you have some reason, other than a piece of paper, to suspect he is not loyal to Canada? Sounds like *scary* *scary* *scary* to me