Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's main political rival in elections this month holds dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship, but a spokesman for Conservative party leader Andrew Scheer says he recently embarked on the process of renouncing his American citizenship.

The Conservative party has criticized previous party leaders for holding dual citizenship.

Scheer spokesman Cory Ham said Thursday that Scheer and his sisters received U.S. passports as children but Scheer has not renewed his as an adult. Ham says one of Scheer's parents was born in the U.S. and immigrated to Canada. The Globe and Mail first reported the news.

Ham says Scheer filed paperwork with the U.S. government in August saying he was renouncing his citizenship and is currently awaiting confirmation from the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa.