"My loyalty is for Canada. Period," Dion said yesterday.

The newly crowned opposition leader holds dual citizenship thanks to his mother, who was born in Paris. Faced with questions on whether he should relinquish his French citizenship because of his new position, Dion — who is one of Canada's leading defenders of federalism — shrugged and asked why.

"If nobody is questioning my loyalty, what is the point?" he said, adding that anyone who doubts his commitment to Canada should keep their "opinions to themselves."

"I'm proud of who I am and I (am) fully loyal for my country. I think I prove it and nobody will question it," Dion said, adding that it was "impossible" that he might have divided loyalties.

Michaëlle Jean renounced her French citizenship before taking over as governor general in 2005 in a nod to her new responsibility as commander-in-chief of Canada's armed forces.

The issue of dual citizenship rose this summer after the evacuation of Canadian citizens, many of whom also held Lebanese citizenship, to escape the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah fighters. Source...