Asked whether it’s hypocritical to run a campaign accusing his rival of being “not as advertised” while not publicly disclosing he holds dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship, federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said he “rejects the premise of the question.”

“It’s not a big deal for a Canadian to have dual citizenship,” Scheer said, facing a barrage of new questions on the minutiae of his citizenships at a news conference at an Etobicoke hotel Friday morning.

In the past, Conservatives have pilloried their political rivals for holding dual citizenship while running to become prime minister.

The Conservative campaign says Scheer began the process of renouncing his U.S. citizenship in August, only weeks before the Oct. 21 election was called. On Thursday, the leader said he is awaiting word that his renunciation has been processed.

“No,” Scheer said on Friday, when asked whether he has ever voted in a U.S. election.

“No,” he said, he has never been a member of the National Rifle Association.

“I have only ever earned income in Canada,” he said, when asked how often he has filed U.S. tax returns.

Yes, he registered for the U.S. military draft, as is required for most American citizens, even those overseas, his campaign said.

“Millions of Canadians have dual citizenship,” Scheer said repeatedly.

Scheer on Friday also unveiled new details of his party’s plan to combat gun-and-gang violence, which focuses on a suite of new enforcement and sentencing measures. Those include a pledge for tougher bail for gang members and a plan to identify known gangs as “criminal entities” similar to how terrorist organizations are identified.

The plan also calls for strict five-year mandatory minimum sentences for anyone convicted of a violent gang crime or of possession of a smuggled firearm; a plan to create a dedicated border task force to intercept illegal firearms; tougher sentencing for human trafficking offences; and stricter background checks for gun licenses.

“Every Canadian deserves to grow up free of gang crime,” Scheer said Friday.

Scheer again criticized the Liberal gun control plan, which calls for a national ban on military-style assault rifles and to let cities impose bans on handguns within their borders, among other things.

“Forcing law-abiding Canadians to follow even more laws will not reduce crime,” Scheer said.

Scheer has said he’s always been honest of the fact that he has dual U.S.-Canada citizenship, but never disclosed if publicly because he’s never been asked.

On Thursday in Halifax, N.S., Scheer said he had intended to renounce his American citizenship after he was elected Conservative leader in May 2017, but had other priorities.

“I was focused on other things, rebuilding the party, getting ready for the election, working on the platform. It was always my intention to (renounce my citizenship) before the election,” he said.

Scheer himself has asked questions of politicians with dual citizenship. In a 2005 blog post, Scheer questioned whether Michaëlle Jean was a good choice to be Canada’s governor general.

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“Does it bother you that she is a dual citizen (France and Canada)? Would it bother you if instead of French citizenship, she held U.S. citizenship?” Scheer, then a U.S. citizen, wrote.

Former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper notably attacked NDP leader Thomas Mulcair over his French citizenship in 2012.

In a statement Thursday night, the Liberal campaign accused Scheer of “hiding” his American citizenship and suggested the Conservative leader was misleading Canadians on other aspects of his life and beliefs.

With files from Bruce Campion-Smith and Alex Boutilier

Ed Tubb is an assignment editor and a contributor to the Star’s coverage of the 2019 federal election. He is based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @edtubb

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