Republican Senator renounces Canadian citizenship

There’s another birther controversy in the U.S. — this time involving Canada.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), touted as a presidential hopeful, announced Monday he will renounce his Canadian citizenship.

Read: Should clients renounce U.S. citizenships?

The Dallas Morning News reported Cruz was born in Calgary on Dec. 22, 1970, making him a dual Canadian-U.S. citizen. His mother, Eleanor Elizabeth Wilson, is an American born in Delaware and his father, Rafael Bienvenido Cruz, is a native of Cuba. The family left Calgary when Cruz was 4 and he has lived in the U.S. ever since.

Only natural-born U.S. citizens can be president, and Cruz’s office has maintained that because his mother was an American, Cruz became a U.S. citizen at birth. POLITICO surveyed several constitutional scholars, most of whom agree Cruz is eligible to run.

In a statement, he says he didn’t realize he was Canadian due to his birthplace. In explaining his decision to renounce his citizenship, he says, “Nothing against Canada, but I’m an American by birth and as a U.S. Senator, I believe I should be only an American.”

Read: Does your client have U.S. tax risk?

As for Cruz’s obligations to Canada, he doesn’t owe tax to the CRA. Unlike the U.S., we base taxation on residency.

Cruz was a little-known former Texas solicitor general and veteran of George W. Bush’s presidential campaign when he launched a bid to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Spurred by a wave of grassroots support, Cruz upset mainstream GOP favourite and powerful Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in last year’s Republican primary, then coasted to victory in November.

Since taking office, he has embraced the role of Senate troublemaker, angering Democrats and even some Republicans with his outspokenness. Cruz has most recently joined with other tea party darlings in the Senate and called for partially shutting down the federal government in an attempt to block funding for the White House-backed health care law.

Read: Tax planning and dual citizenship

Cruz also has fuelled speculation he could run for the White House by wowing conservative crowds during frequent trips to Iowa, which will open voting for the 2016 GOP presidential primary.

Staff, with files from The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.