Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a Commonwealth Realm with Queen Elizabeth II as its reigning monarch, since February 6, 1952. As such she is the de jure head of state, though she does hold several powers that are hers alone, while the Governor General is referred to as the de facto head of state. [1] The heir apparent is Elizabeth II's eldest son, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales.
In Canada, the Queen's official title in English is: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, Canada and Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. In French, the Queen's title is: Elizabeth Deux, par la grâce de Dieu Reine du Royaume-Uni, du Canada et de ses autres royaumes et territoires, Chef du Commonwealth, Défenseur de la Foi. In common practice, Queen Elizabeth II is referred to simply as "The Queen" or "The Queen of Canada" when in Canada, or when abroad and acting on the advice of her Canadian ministers.
Constitutional Monarchy in Canada
International vs. Domestic Role
One of the most complicated features of the Canadian monarchy is that it is in fact a shared monarchy. Some 53 independent, sovereign states, including Canada, are members of the Commonwealth of Nations (Formerly The British Empire, and later British Commonweatlth of Nations). 16 of these countries are specifically Commonwealth Realms who recognize the same Queen, Elizabeth II, as their Head of state. Although, aside from being Queen of Canada, Elizabeth II is also separately Monarch of each of the other Commonwalth Realms, each nation – including Canada – is sovereign and independent of the others.
Queen Elizabeth II, is the current monarch's conventional title for all her Commonwealth Realms, but is generally addressed as "Queen of Canada" when she is actually present in Canada or when she otherwise performs ceremonies relevant to Canada. Some examples are conferring Canadian honours while in the United Kingdom or participating in the Canadian World War II Memorial Ceremonies in France.
Most of the Queen of Canada's domestic duties are performed by the Governor General of Canada at the federal level and lieutenant governors at the Provincial. There are few duties which must be performed specifically by the Queen (e.g., signing the appointment papers of Governors General and Lieutenant), or require assent by the Queen as well as the Governor General, but on occassion the monarch must personally act directly in partisan affairs. This occured when former Prime Minister of Canada, Brian Mulroney advised Queen Elizabeth II to expand the number of Senate seats to assure passage of the GST. The Queen followed his advice, and as Prime Minister, Mr. Mulroney became accountable for that advice.
In addition to the Queen's role in each of her realms, the Canadian monarch is also the nominal Head of the Commonwealth. Though this title, does not imply any political power over member nations, and does not automatically belong to the monarch, only the shared monarch of the Commonwealth Realms has ever held this title.
Constitutional Role
- The identity of the sovereign is determined by the conditions set out in the Act of Settlement. As a result of the Balfour Declaration of 1926 the dominions acquired the right to be considered equal to Britain rather than subordinate; an agreement that had the result of, in theory, a shared Crown that operates independently in each realm rather than a unitary British Crown under which all the dominions were subordinate. The monarchy thus ceased to be an exclusively British institution, although it has often been called British since this time (in both legal and common language) for historical reasons and for convenience. The Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act, 1927 was the first indication of this shift in law, further elaborated in the Statute of Westminster, 1931. Under the Statute of Westminster, 1931, Canada has a common monarchy with Britain and the other Commonwealth Realms and cannot change the rules of succession without the unanimous consent of the other realms, unless Canada explicitly leaves the shared monarchy relationship by means of a constitutional amendment. These concepts were reasserted by Justice Rouleau in a 2003 court ruling (see below) in which he wrote that "Union under the British Crown together with other Commonwealth countries [is a] constitutional principle."
- As in the UK, the Queen's role is almost entirely symbolic and cultural, and the powers that are constitutionally hers are exercised wholly upon the advice of the elected government. In exceptional circumstances, however, the Queen or Governor General may act against such advice based upon her reserve powers – as when Governor General Byng refused a demand by Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King for a dissolution of Parliament and call for new elections, because King's request was blatantly unconstitutional, and it is the first order of the Crown to defend the constitution (see King-Byng Affair). For the most part, however, the monarch functions as a rubber stamp and a symbol of the legal authority under which all governments operate. It has been correctly said since the death of Queen Anne (1714), the last monarch to head the British cabinet (when almost all of Canada was still French colonial territory), that the monarch "reigns" but does not "rule". In Canada, this has been true since the Treaty of Paris (1763) ended the reign of Canada's last absolute monarch, King Louis XV of France. For more explanation of the Queen's role, see Governor General of Canada.
- Succession to the throne is by male-preference primogeniture and governed by the provisions of the Act of Settlement and the English Bill of Rights. These documents are now part of Canadian constitutional law. As Canada's rules of succession are identical to those of the United Kingdom (by the Statute of Westminster), see Succession to the British Throne for more information.
- On all matters of state to do with Canada, the monarch is advised solely by the Canadian federal and provincial first ministers. See also Queen's Privy Council for Canada. Effective with the Constitution Act, 1982 no British government can advise the monarch on any matters pertinent to Canada.
- All powers of state are constitutionally reposed in the Queen, who is represented at the federal level by the Governor General of Canada and at the provincial level by Lieutenant-Governors. The Governor General is appointed by the Queen upon the advice of the Prime Minister of Canada. The ten Lieutenant-Governors are appointed by the Governor General, in the name of the Queen, upon the advice of the Prime Minister of Canada though the Queen is informed of the Prime Minister's decision before the Governor General gives assent.
- Royal Assent and proclamation are required for all acts of Parliament and of the provincial legislatures. Assent is usually granted or withheld by the Governor or Lieutenant Governor. The Monarch's representative may reserve a bill for the Monarch's pleasure, that is to say, allow the Queen to make a personal decision on the bill. A Lieutenant Governor of a province may similarly defer to the Governor-General (who may in turn defer to the Monarch). The Monarch has the power to disallow a bill (within a time limit specified by the constitution). Recently activists opposed to Bill C-38 lobbied the Queen to disallow the legislation after it was passed by parliament. However it received Royal Assent from the Queen's representative on July 19, 2005. Territorial legislatures, unlike their provincial counterparts, are subject to the oversight of the Government of Canada.
- The Commissioners of Canada's territories of Nunavut, Yukon, and Northwest Territories are appointed by Governor in Council at the recommendation of the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. But as the territories are not sovereign entities, the commissioners are not representatives of the sovereign. They receive instruction from the said federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs.
(See Also Royal Prerogative)
Cultural Role
- The Queen is ceremonial head of the Canadian honours system. As such, only she can approve the creation of an honour, which she does as requested by government of Canada. The Governor General administers most responsibilities relating to Canadian honours on the Queen's behalf. See Canadian honours system.
- The federal and provincial governments now recognise and promote the Queen's role as monarch of Canada as separate to her position as Queen of the United Kingdom. [2] [3] [4] The Queen's image remains on Canadian coins, some currency and postage stamps (see Queen Elizabeth II definitive stamp (Canada)). Her portrait is still found in all government buildings, military installations, many schools, and all of Canada's embassies abroad. Crowns are also visible on police forces badges (see Ontario Provincial Police badge), military badges (see Canadian Armed Forces Tri-service badge), some provincial coats of arms (see Coat of Arms of Quebec), and Canada's Royal Coat of Arms.
- The Queen is a regular visitor to Canada. Enough so that on occasion Royal visits are also referred to as Royal Homecomings. The cultural importance that Canadians attached to the monarchy as a British institution, however, visibly declined in the decades following World War II as Canada began to emerge and blossom into a mature nation in her own right. For example, though the Royal Union Flag remains an official flag in Canada, a distinctly Canadian flag was adopted in 1964; God Save the Queen remains the royal anthem and forms a part of the Vice-Regal Salutes, while O Canada has been adopted as the national anthem.
- The Canadian Royal Salute is the Royal Anthem, God Save the Queen, followed by the National Anthem, O Canada. The Vice-Regal Salute is the first six bars of God Save the Queen which then modulate into the first four and last four bars of O Canada. The Vice-Regal Salute is played only for the governor general and each lieutenant-governor, because they represent the Crown.
- Although the Queen's Canadian title includes "Defender of the Faith/Défenseur de la Foi," neither the Queen, the governor general, nor any lieutenant-governor has any religious role in Canada. There have been no established churches in Canada since before confederation in 1867. This is one of the key differences from the Queen's role in the United Kingdom where she is Supreme Governor of the Church of England. In a speech to the House of Commons in 1953, Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent stated on this topic:
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- "...The rather more delicate question arose about the retention of the words defender of the faith. In England there is an established church. In our countries [the other monarchies of the Commonwealth] there are no established churches, but in our countries there are people who have faith in the direction of human affairs by an all-wise Providence; and we felt that it was a good thing that the civil authorities would proclaim that their organisation is such that it is a defence of the continued beliefs in a supreme power that orders the affairs of mere men, and that there could be no reasonable objection from anyone who believed in the Supreme Being in having the sovereign, the head of the civil authority, described as a believer in and a defender of the faith in a supreme ruler."
As the Queen of Canada is also the Queen of the United Kingdom, the monarch cannot be a Roman Catholic or married to one and must be in communion with the Church of England upon ascending the throne. This has led to a legal challenge (see O'Donohue v. Her Majesty the Queen).
- Queen Elizabeth's birthday is April 26, however since 1953 the official birthday of Canada's monarch is Victoria Day, by vice-regal proclamation the first Monday before May 24 of every year, until 1957 when the date of the national holiday was permanantly set.
Legal Role
In Canada the legal personality of the State is referred to as "Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada", and likewise for the provinces and territories (i.e., "in Right of Ontario," etc.). For example, if a lawsuit is filed against the federal government, the respondent is formally described as Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. The monarch as an individual takes no more role in such an affair than in any other business of government. For example a case, in which, a province sues the federal government, would formally be called Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Prince Edward Island v. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. (See Also The Crown)
Similarly the oath of allegiance to Canada, sworn by new citizens, the Canadian Forces, police officers, and parliamentarians, is an oath of allegiance to the monarch as sovereign of Canada, and to his/her heirs and successors according to law. The relationship between the Oath taker and the Monarch is a complex one with roots reaching back to historical periods when a monarch ruled and accepted an Oath of fealty. Modern Oaths are still reciprocal but now the Oath taker places their allegiance to the continuing State, its laws, etc., as embodied by the Monarch. As the legal personality of the State, the Monarch has obligations to the Oath taker. The Monarch's acceptance of her responsibilities to her subjects is symbolised by the Coronation Oath, which is a renewal of the relationship between the Monarch and her subjects.
In addition the monarch also serves as a symbol of the Courts of Justice' legitimacy, and their judicial authority. An image of the Queen or the Coat of arms of Canada are always displayed in courtrooms. Itinerant judges will display an image of the Queen and the Canadian flag when holding a session away from established courtrooms. Such situations occur in parts of Canada where the stakeholders in a given court case are too isolated geographically to be able to travel for regular procedings.
The Crown and the First Nations
As with the Māori and the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand, Canada's First Nations view their treaties as being agreements directly between them and the Crown, not with the ever-changing government. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 made clear that the First Nations were autonomous political units and affirmed their title to lands. It remains an important document, mentioned in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, outlining the Canadian Crown's responsibility to protect First Nations' territories and maintain the bilateral "nation-to-nation" relationship. [5] [6]
An early example of the Crown's protection of First Nations people was during the American Revolution. As a consequence of the Mohawk Nation's allegiance with the British, through being a part of the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy, the Mohawk peoples were forced from their lands in the Mohawk Valley, in present day New York State, by the revolutionaries. As compensation, the British Crown promised land in Canada to those displaced by the war. In 1784 some Mohawks settled in what is now the Bay of Quinte, where North America's only two Royal chapels, Christ Church Royal Chapel of the Mohawks and Her Majesty's Chapel of the Mohawks, were built to symbolise the connection between the Mohawk peoples and the Crown.
To commemorate a diplomatic visit to Queen Anne by the "Four Mohawk Kings", or the three Mohawk and one Mahicanin Chiefs of the Iroquoian Confederacy, in 1710, the portraits of the "Four Indian Kings" were painted by Jan Verelst. After hanging in Kensington Palace for almost 270 years, Queen Elizabeth II donated them to the Canadian Collection at the National Archives of Canada, unveiling them in Ottawa in 1977.
Also in 1984, as a bicentennial gift, Queen Elizabeth II gave the Christ Church Royal Chapel of the Mohawks a new silver chalice to replace one lost during the American Revolution. The lost chalice was from a set given to the Mohawks by Queen Anne in 1712 to embody the relationship between the Crown and Mohawk people. [7]
A modern demonstration of the relationship between the First Nations and the Crown was seen in 1994 when the Dene community of the Northwest Territories presented a list of grievances over stalled land claim negotiations to Queen Elizabeth II, rather than to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, while the two were attending an Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. After speaking with the Chief, the Queen handed the list to the Prime Minister for the Cabinet to address.
In May of 2005 the Queen, during a visit to the First Nations University of Canada in Saskatchewan, presented a piece of Balmoral granite engraved with the ciphers of Queen Victoria and herself. The gesture behind the gift was outlined in the Queen's words:
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- "This stone was taken from the grounds of Balmoral Castle in the Highlands of Scotland - a place dear to my great great grandmother, Queen Victoria. It symbolises the foundation of the rights of First Nations peoples reflected in treaties signed with the Crown during her reign.
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- "Bearing the cipher of Queen Victoria as well as my own, this stone is presented to the First Nations University of Canada in the hope that it will serve as a reminder of the special relationship between the Sovereign and all First Nations peoples." [8]
Nevertheless, First Nations groups complained that their role during the Queen's visit was a purely symbolic one, and were disappointed that neither the provincial nor federal governments granted them a private audience with the Queen to express concerns about treaty violations. [9]
The Crown and the Canadian Forces
The Crown retains a prominent place within the Canadian Forces. The Constitution Act, 1867 states that the Command-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces is vested in the Queen. However, the 1905 Militia Act changed references to the Office of the Governor General to become the Office of the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the Militia; the title and its duties being held and performed by the Governor General on behalf of the Sovereign. The Letters Patent of 1947 further reinforce this position. [10]
The Sovereign's position and role in the military is reflected by Canadian naval vessels bearing the prefix Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) (subsequently His Majesty's Canadian Ship during the reign of a king), and all members of the armed forces must swear allegiance to the Queen and her heirs and successors.
In 1968 Defence Minister Paul Hellyer, under the Government of Pierre Trudeau, unified the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force into the Canadian Armed Forces, over the protests of many senior generals, admirals and air marshals. The "Royal" title was not bestowed upon the new unified service, though many of the former Army units retain the title and vessels are still titled "HMCS". Also, crowns are included in the vast majority of Canadian military insignia.
Members of the Royal Family have presided over many military ceremonies, including Trooping of the Colours, inspections of the troops, and anniversaries of key battles. Whenever Her Majesty is in Ottawa she lays a wreath at the National War Memorial. As well, two other examples of Elizabeth II acting as Queen of Canada abroad were associated with the Canadian military; one in 1996 when she dedicated the Canadian War Memorial in Green Park, London, and the other in 2003 when she attended the Canadian 60th anniversary of D-Day ceremonies in Normandy, France.
Members of the Royal Family are Colonel-in-Chief of many Canadian regiments, including: le Régiment de la Chaudière; the 48th Highlanders of Canada; le Royal 22e Régiment; the Governor General's Foot Guards; the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa; the Royal Newfoundland Regiment; and the Calgary Highlanders, amongst many others. For a more comprehensive list see: List of Canadian Organizations with royal patronage - Military
The Queen is also the Honorary Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. [11]
History
Since the establishment of New France, Canada has been the territory of a monarchy or a monarchy in its own right. Kings and queens reigning over Canada have included the monarchs of France (from Francis I in 1534 to Louis XV in 1763), those of the UK (from Anne of Great Britain in 1713 to King George VI in 1952), to Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Canada today. Following Confederation in 1867, the gradual "Canadianization" of the Crown began.
The Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 initiated the gradual replacement of the concept of a singular crown throughout the British Empire with that of a shared crown making each dominion (as well as the United Kingdom) a separate Realm with the Crown worn by the common monarch. This idea was further enhanced by the Statute of Westminster 1931, which granted the dominions of the Commonwealth autonomy from the British parliament and equality with the United Kingdom. When a new Royal Style and Titles Act was passed at the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, it explicitly identified the Queen's role in the United Kingdom and her role in Canada separately, with her role as Queen of the United Kingdom listed before her role as Queen of Canada. This format was consistent with the form of the Queen's titles in the other Realms, as had been agreed upon by all the Realm governments in 1953. As of 2005, only Canada and Grenada retain this form. The Queen's title in the UK is similar but only lists that realm by name in the title.
When the Canadian House of Commons debated the Queen's title in 1953, Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent asserted:
- "Her Majesty is now Queen of Canada but she is the Queen of Canada because she is Queen of the United Kingdom ... It is not a separate office" Hansard February 3, 1953, page 1566. [12]
(see also List of Titles and Honours of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom).
Canada gained full independence as an autonomous constitutional monarchy when the constitution was patriated under Prime Minister Trudeau in 1982, making it Canadian law rather than an act of the British parliament that required amendment in both jurisdictions. See Canada Act 1982.
The Constitution Act of 1982 also entrenched the monarchy in Canada. Any change to the position of the monarch or the monarch's representatives in Canada now requires the consent of the Senate, the House of Commons, and the legislative assemblies of all the provinces.
The great majority of the Queen's Canadian duties are performed by her representatives in Canada except those that explicitly or implicitly require the Queen to perform them. There have often been instances when the Governor General has appeared alongside the Queen at events abroad. Canada's political leaders have, on occasion, appealed to the Queen's authority. In 1990, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney appealed to the Queen (under Section 26 of The Constitution Act, 1867) to temporarily add new seats to the Senate. This provision was designed to ensure deadlock in the Senate could be broken. It requires approval by both the Governor General and the monarch. Mulroney made this move to secure passage of the controversial Goods and Services Tax in the face of threats by the Senate to block it. Although Mulroney's Progressive Conservative Party had a massive majority in the House of Commons, the Liberals held a majority in the Senate – until new PC senators were appointed at Mulroney's recommendation to avoid that problem.
This was an occasion on which the Queen played a significant role in Canadian government, although as the monarch's advisers made clear, she felt bound to follow the advice of the Prime Minister, who was answerable to cabinet, parliament, and the Canadian electorate. They argued that to overrule prime ministerial advice would have involved the Queen directly in controversy; by automatically accepting advice, she placed the responsibility on the person giving the advice. It is also possible that if the Governor General decided to go against the Prime Minister's or the government's advice, the Prime Minister could appeal directly to the Queen or even recommend that the Queen dismiss the Governor General.
Beginning January 1, 2005, the Letters of Credence that foreign diplomats present when beginning an assignment in Canada are addressed to the Governor General of Canada without making any reference to the Queen. This is also the case with Letters of Recall presented when a diplomat finishes a sojourn in Canada. This change in protocol has been criticised by Canadian monarchists as an example of the government reducing the Queen's role, and has been welcomed by republicans for the same reason.
Some monarchists contend that after Paul Martin became prime minister, his government seemed to be attempting to further distance Canada from the Queen and elevating the Governor General to more of a presidential figure.
On her 2005 trip to Alberta, the provincial government wished to have the Queen sign a bill into law. This was not done – in theory because the constitutionality of the Queen doing so was questioned; however, Rideau Hall also stated it would conflict with the "Canadianization" of Canada's institutions.
Monarchs of Canada
A list of monarchs of New France, British North America and Canada:
| Valois/Bourbon line |
Tudor/Stuart/Hanover/Saxe-Coburg-Gotha/Windsor line |
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Francis I of France 1534-1547: established French colonies in Acadia and Canada, 1534 |
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Henry II of France 1547-1559 |
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Francis II of France 1559-1560 |
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Charles IX of France 1560-1574 |
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Henry III of France 1574-1589 |
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Elizabeth I of England 1578-1603: Established English colony in Newfoundland, 1578 |
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Henry IV of France 1589-1610 |
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James VI of Scotland and I of England 1603-1625: Established Scottish colony in Nova Scotia, 1621 |
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Louis XIII of France 1610-1643 |
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Charles I of England 1625-1649 |
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Louis XIV of France 1643-1715: Ceded Acadia, Placentia, and Hudson Bay to Anne, 1713 |
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Charles II of England 1649-1685 |
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James II of England 1685-1689 |
William III of England 1689-1702 and
Mary II of England 1689-1694 |
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Anne of Great Britain 1702-1714 |
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George I of Great Britain 1714-1727 |
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Louis XV of France 1715-1763: Ceded New France to George III, 1763 |
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George II of Great Britain 1727-1760 |
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George III of the United Kingdom 1760-1820 |
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George IV of the United Kingdom 1820-1830 |
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William IV of the United Kingdom 1830-1837 |
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Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom 1837-1901: Signed British North America Act, 1867 |
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Edward VII of the United Kingdom 1901-1910 |
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George V of the United Kingdom 1910-1936: Signed Statute of Westminster, 1931 |
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Edward VIII of the United Kingdom 1936 |
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George VI of the United Kingdom 1936-1952 |
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Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Canada 1952-present: First to be officially titled separately as Queen of Canada. 1 |
Royal Visits
- Further information: Royal visits to Canada, and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]]
Cost of the Crown
The Queen's Canadian governments pay only for the costs associated with the Governor General and Lieutenant-Governors in their exercising of the powers of the Crown on behalf of the Queen, including travel, security, residences, offices, ceremonial occasions, etc.
Contrary to common misconception, Canadians do not pay any monies to the Queen either for personal income or to support the Royal residences outside of Canada. Only when Queen Elizabeth II is in Canada, or acting abroad as Queen of Canada, does any Canadian government support her in the performance of her duties.
Provincial and federal records of expenditures associated with the Crown are kept, but no official report on the cost of the monarchy to Canadians is compiled. However, the Monarchist League of Canada triannually issues a survey based on official government documents which outlines a yearly cost to each Canadian for the functioning of the Crown. The 2005 survey found that in 2004 the institution cost Canadians roughly $49,000,000, or, based on the Oct. 2004 Statistics Canada population numbers, $1.53 per Canadian. (See $1.53 per Canadian: The Cost of Canada's Constitutional Monarchy, 2005)
Organizations Under Royal Charter
Canada has hundreds of organizations under Royal Charters, including charities, businesses, colleges, universities, and cities. Today it is mostly charities and professional institutions who receive Royal Charters, given by the royal prerogative of the Canadian Monarch in Council. Application for a charter is a petition to the Sovereign in Council. To receive a Royal Charter the organization must have corporate members who have at least first degree level in a relevant field, consist of 5000 members or more, be financially sound, and it must be in the public interest to regulate the institution under a charter. However, meeting these benchmarks does not guarantee the issue of a Royal Charter.
Companies
Canada's oldest company, the Hudson's Bay Company, was founded under a Royal Charter issued by King Charles II in 1670.
Cities
Cities under Royal Charter are not subject to municipal Acts of parliament applied generally to other municipalities, and instead are governed by legislation applicable to each city individually. The Royal Charter codifies the laws applied to the particular city, and lays out the powers and responsibilities not given to other municipalities in the province concerned.
Canada has four Royal Charter cities: Saint John, New Brunswick, (the oldest, having received its charter in 1786 from King George III), Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Montreal. [13]
Universities and Colleges
A number of Canadian universities and colleges were founded under Royal Charter.
Canadian Organizations with Royal Patronage
- Further information: List of Canadian organizations with royal patronage, and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]]
Debate on the Canadian Monarchy
In contrast to Australian republicanism, there has been little national debate about ending the monarchy in Canada. This may be because Canadians have historically been more focused on more immediate political concerns such as the issue of the role of Quebec within Canada and the division of powers between the federal government and the provinces. Historically, many Canadians have seen the monarchy as a traditional institution that forms a key part of the nation's raison d'être and justifies Canada's sovereignty from the United States. One of Canada's national myths is the story of the United Empire Loyalists, a group of British-North American settlers who migrated from the United States to Canada after their homes were ransacked during the American Revolutionary War.
- Further information: Quebec sovereignty movement, and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]], and [[]]
In recent years a Canadian republican group has been formed, and some politicians, such as former Deputy Prime Minister John Manley, have expressed interest in ending the monarchy. In 2002, Canada's first nationally organised republican movement, the Citizens for a Canadian Republic, was established to bring the debate into the mainstream. The CCR promotes eliminating the Queen's role as Canada's head of state and replacing her with an elected president of some form. The monarchist side is represented by the Monarchist League of Canada. This national group was formed in 1970 and currently exists as a lobby group to advocate for, educate about, and promote the monarchy in Canada. Other politicians such as former Deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps have been strong supporters of the monarchy in Canada. Copps was widely praised for her organisation of the Queen's Golden Jubilee tour of Canada in 2002.
Public opinion polls have clearly shown Canadians' mixed feelings towards the monarchy. Some polls show a majority of Canadians support the creation of a republic, while others show a majority favour retaining the current system. Generally, however, the prevailing mood towards the monarchy suggested by most polls is one of indifference or apathy.
Quebec, however, is currently the only province where the population might be seen as strongly supporting a republic. This sentiment became pronounced during the Queen's visit to Quebec City in 1964 when she was greeted by antimonarchist demonstrations. The route of her procession was lined with Quebecers showing their backs to the monarch. On Samedi de la matraque (Truncheon Saturday), police violently dispersed antimonarchist demonstrators and arrested 36, including some who were there to cheer the Queen. The Queen did not visit Quebec City again until 1987, and has rarely visited Quebec with the exception of Hull, which is across the river from Ottawa and within Canada's National Capital Region. [14]
In 1976, many Quebec nationalists and sovereigntists complained about her role in officially opening the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
During the 1995 Quebec referendum campaign on independence, the Queen was tricked into revealing her personal opinions on Canadian unity when a radio DJ, impersonating then Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, managed to reach her by telephone at Buckingham Palace. [15] [16] When told the current number of votes was showing a victory for the Yes side, she was reported to have said that it was then not "going very well." She also pointedly refused to accept "Chrétien"'s advice that she intervene on the issue without first seeing a draft speech sent by him. (Her tactful handling of the call won plaudits from the DJ who made it.)
Today, many Quebec politicians, especially separatists in parties such as the Bloc Québécois, often actively ignore the governmental role of monarchy on the grounds that it is an institution of "English Canada" with no relevance to Quebec. However, for the same reason, they have not generally advocated republican reforms be taken, as they do not consider reforming Canadian institutions to be their responsibility. Quebec's former separatist premier Bernard Landry has said that if Quebec separates, the new nation would become a republic.
Since the mid-20th century there has been a downplaying of the role of the Crown in Canada. During the centennial year of Canadian confederation in 1967, some Canadian newspapers, including the Toronto Star, advocated the creation of a republic as a mark of the country's independence. While the Toronto Star is no longer officially pro-republic, through the 1990s The Globe and Mail advocated making the Governor General head of state in place of the monarch. From the early 1970s, references to the monarch and the monarchy were slowly removed from the public eye (e.g., the Queen's portrait from public buildings and schools, and the Royal Mail became a crown corporation, Canada Post). The Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force were merged into the unified Canadian Forces; however, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police remain the national police force. In recent years, there have been some minor attempts at removing references of the Queen from the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Citizenship. In the latter case immigration issues drive the discussion for change. To date, only the oath taken by federal public servants has been altered, but they continue to sign contracts with the Queen in the right of Canada. New citizens, members of the armed forces and police forces, and Members of Parliament continue to take Oaths of allegiance to the Queen.
Some monarchists and academics argue that the process of downplaying the monarchy and other institutions has led to widespread misunderstandings how Canada is governed.
(see also: Canadian Republicanism, Monarchism in Canada)
See also
- Monarchy in Australia
- British Monarchy
- Dominion
- Commonwealth Realm
- Canada's name deals with the topic of Dominion
- Governor General of Canada
- List of Governors General of Canada
- Lieutenant-Governors of: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories
- Commissioners of: Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut
- Prime Ministers of Queen Elizabeth II
- List of Commonwealth visits made by Queen Elizabeth II
- Canadian honours system
- American Monarchist Party
External links
Official sites from the Canadian government
Notes
- In 1997, British Prime Minister Tony Blair intended to offer a Life Peerage to Canadian businessman Conrad Black. Citing the 1919 Nickle Resolution, the Canadian government advised the Queen that they have objected to such honours for many years. If Blair had not backed down, the Queen would have been in the situation of having to grant an honour on the advice of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to object to the same as Queen of Canada on the advice of then Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chrétien. The problem was resolved when Black renounced his Canadian citizenship. Canada raised no further objections and he was granted his peerage, becoming Lord Black of Crossharbour.
- Refer to the Constantian Society's detailed comparison of the costs of monarchies versus republics. The Constantian Society
Footnotes
- ^ Governor General: Role
- ^ Canada: a Constitutional Monarchy
- ^ Biography: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Queen of Canada
- ^ The Crown in Canada
- ^ Canadian Royal Heritage Trust
- ^ A Historical Analysis of Early Nation to Nation Relations in Canada and New Zealand:The Royal Proclamation of 1763,the Treaty of Niagra and The Treaty of Waitangi
- ^ Fundamental Treaty Principals
- ^ Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory
- ^ British Monarchy Press Releases and Speeches
- ^ CBC: First Nations say they're left out of royal visit
- ^ Governor General of Canada: Commander in Chief of the Canadian Forces
- ^ Land Forces: H.M. Elizabeth II Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- ^ Canada's Cities: Unleash our Potential
- ^ CBC archives
- ^ Times: Radio Waves: Paul Donovan: It’s a hoax, folks
- ^ BBC News: Hoaxing: A national pastime
- ^ Monarchist League of Canada
- ^ "Queen Elizabeth" by Simon Jeffery in The Guardian March 30, 2002
- ^ British Republic
- ^ Canadian Legal Information Institute
- ^ CTV video
- ^ CBC: Canadians support Charles as king
The content of this page is retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_in_Canada under GFDL
