Canadian lawmakers discuss Santa's nationality

OTTAWA, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- A Conservative lawmaker in Canada said the Liberal party is questioning Santa Claus' nationality by questioning Canada's quest for Arctic sovereignty.

Paul Calandra, a member of Parliament with the Conservative party, told the House of Commons this week that members of the Liberal party would strip Santa of his Canadian status by questioning the legitimacy of Canada's United Nations bid for sovereignty over the Arctic, QMI Agency reported Friday.

"All of a sudden the Liberals are suggesting that Santa Claus is no longer Canadian and that they would abandon the North Pole and abandon Santa Claus," Calandra said.

However, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said Santa's status as a Canadian is not in question.

"Of course he is," Trudeau said. "His postal code is H0H 0H0."

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a press briefing Wednesday that Santa is a "citizen of the world."

"Santa will find you everywhere. That is what I always learned," Psaki said.

She said Santa does not need a visa for his Christmas Eve visit to the United States.

"Santa does not need a visa. He has a visa waiver in the United States. So he can get to every house, and I assume that's the case around the world as well," she said.

However, Psaki had one piece of controversial information to share about Santa Claus.

"Santa is a woman, just so you know," she told the briefing.