Canada’s energy minister holds dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship, sees ‘no reason’ to renounce

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson arrives for a meeting of the federal cabinet in West Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

Canada’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson holds dual Canada-U.S. citizenship and sees “no reason” to give up his American citizenship “at this time.”

Hodgson confirmed his dual citizenship in an interview on The Vassy Kapelos Show on Tuesday, stating he has “no confusion about where my loyalties lie.”

The rookie minister entered federal politics this year, under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership, after an extensive career in the private sector.

He said he became a dual citizen “in the early 1990s” when he was living and working in the U.S., but noted his history serving Canada both prior to, and after, that time.

That included the six years he served in the Canadian Armed Forces starting when he was 17, and the time Hodgson worked as a special adviser to Carney as governor of the Bank of Canada in 2010.

“And in March of this year, I was asked again by the new prime minister to give up my private sector life and serve my country again. And that’s what I’ve done. I’ve done it because I love my country,” Hodgson said.

He said he has disclosed his citizenship to both the federal ethics commissioner and the national security establishment, and has renewed his top-secret Canadian security clearance.

“I have no concerns about being a dual citizen. And quite frankly, there’s 700,000 Canadians who have dual citizenship and are loyal Canadians,” he said.

Hodgson was asked if he’d considered revoking it, given the Canada-U.S. climate right now, the unique cross-border economic tensions, and his role in the government as it relates to building up the domestic economy in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade actions.

The minister said “no.”

“I have family in the United States, and crossing the border … freely without obstruction is something that I’m keen to see,” he said.

During the 2025 federal election campaign, Carney announced that he was renouncing his British and Irish citizenships, indicating he was focused on giving his all to Canada.

At the time, Carney noted that there are a number of Canadian parliamentarians and past party leaders who hold multiple passports.

That list includes current Official Opposition Leader in the House of Commons Andrew Scheer.

With files from CTV News’ Brennan MacDonald