An aspect of this Tory-fabricated controversy that isn't getting mentioned enough is "What is citizenship?" In this case, Dion simply has a parent (mother) who was born in France. This means he has the ability to apply for a French passport and live in France. He does not have a French passport (I believe). He has never voted in France or paid taxes, as far as I know. He was not obligated to serve in the army there. He is a Canadian who has French heritage. ...Not that it would change the matter if he did have those connections, but I believe he doesn't.
I know something about dual heritage because I am a dual citizen of the United States. I haven't lived there since I was 7 years old, and I gave up my US citizenship when I became a Canadian at the age of 18. Renouncing my US citizenship was harder than I had realized it would be. I felt cut off from my roots. When the US changed the laws and allowed dual citizenship I applied for a US passport and felt enormously better. I cherish my US citizenship, not because it gets me anything or because I'd ever live in the US, but because it ties me to my ancestors in the US south and in Chicago; it means I am sure I can't be stopped at the border from visiting my relatives or going to a funeral; and because it's my heritage.
Demanding that someone renounce their citizenship is a huge deal. Asking Dion to renounce his French heritage is asking too much. For everyone who thinks this is an issue, I ask them to rethink it. Your slight unhappiness with his dual citizenship is nothing compared with his sense of connectedness to his mother and her native land.
Hey... Maybe Conrad Black is behind this... ;-)
