The Dual Duel

The question I am most frequently asked when discussing my imminent US citizenship, after, "You're Canadian?" is about what happens to my Canadian citizenship. The question comes in varying forms...

Do you have to give up your Canadian citizenship?

So will you be, like, a dual citizen?

What are you, some kind of idiot?

...and from askers with varying motivations. My mother heard that her former pastor's friend (he is no longer her pastor; they are presumably still friends) could no longer claim citizenship status in Canada after becoming a US citizen. This word of mouth was apparently more trustworthy to her than my hours of tireless research on the subject, and she became worried that I might be making a regrettable mistake. Like any good mother, she is annoying when worried, and was placated only after I spoke with a Canadian consul on the phone who confirmed exactly everything I already knew.

The curious thing is, the answer to at least two of the above questions is yes. The oath I will soon take includes a statement something to the effect of "forswearing all other citizenships." In fact, the United States does not recognize "dual" citizenships with any other country in the world (except, according to some sources, Israel). Even my son, a citizen of two countries at birth, is not considered a Canadian citizen by the US.

The Canadian government, like that of every other country in the world, gives not a gram of beaver dung what the US thinks on this matter. If you're born in Canada, you're a Canadian citizen for life. If you're born outside of Canada to one or more Canadian parents, you're a citizen at least until you're 28. The fact is, even if I took a fanatically literal attitude toward the oath and did all in my power to forswear my status as a Canadian citizen, I might never be able to get rid of it. It would cling to me like cat hair to a cheap sofa. I could fill out yet another form and pay yet another processing fee in the hopes of expunging it, and still have no guarantee of being permanently rid of that accursed maple leafy goodness.

Of course I have no such plans. I respect the oath much (though not quite as much) as I do the Bible, and interpret it in the same way: as its authors and inspirer(s) intended, as best I can judge their intentions. Damn, this analogy is requiring a lot of qualifiers. The government's primary (read: sole) concern in asking me to forswear other citizenships is that of military service. I am registered with the Selective Service and in the unlikely event of a draft, I would serve as required. Beyond that, no expectation of exclusive loyalty exists.

The practical upshot of all this is, when I'm in the US I'm a US citizen. When I'm in Canada I'm a Canadian citizen. When I'm in Mexico I'm a deep shade of pink, but that's another story.