GOD SAVE THE QUEEN (OR NOT)

Differences in Canada and the United States can be seen in the organization of the Canadian and the U.S. Governments. Besides being a parliamentary democracy (closer to a true democracy than the U.S. system) the most obvious political difference is that Canada is a constitutional monarchy. What does this mean? Basically, that Canada is part of a magical kingdom, ruled over by a queen. Yes, Canada has a queen. Perhaps we forgot this fact, because she doubles as the queen of Great Britain, for which she is better known, and where the palace she resides in is located. You see, unlike the United States, Canada has never completely severed its ties with the British Empire. The American colonies gained their separate and equal status to the United Kingdom in one swift move with the Declaration of Independence. For the rest of British North America the acquisition of sovereignty has been a much more gradual process. Thousands of American colonists who remained faithful to the Empire went north to find refuge, and sank their loyalist roots into Canadian soil. From the treachery of George Washington, and the rebellions that later took place in Upper and Lower Canada, Great Britain saw that were limits to how far you can push the loyalty of your subjects. Not wishing to loose the rest of their possessions in the Western Hemisphere, the provinces of British North America were granted a degree of self-governance within the framework of the Empire. To make management of these colonies cheaper and more efficient, and to prevent the United States from invading and annexing this land in their insatiable hunger for territorial expansion, these self-governing provinces united to form the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Only a small section comprising four provinces in the southeastern corner of British North America made up this dominion, but over time these provinces were granted more territory, and new provinces were founded, all carved out of what used to be Ruperts Land, the territory that Canada purchased from the Hudson Bay Company. Some portion of Canada remained under direct rule from Britain, until Newfoundland and Labrador joined the confederation in 1949. This gradual addition of territory from British to Canadian rule is a good metaphor for the gradual achievement of sovereignty over time. The British Military

remained the force in the land until they withdrew in 1905. Not until the Balfour Declaration of November 18, 1926 at the Imperial Conference (attended by Lyon Mackenzie King) were dominions considered equal to Britain. The UK retained power to legislate for Canada, New Zealand, and Australia until the Statute of Westminster of 1931. There was no such thing as Canadian citizenship besides that of a British subject until the Canadian Citizenship Act of 1946. The Queens representative came from Great Britain until Vincent Massey became the first Canadian-born governor general in 1952. God Save the Queen remained Canadas national anthem until it was replaced by O Canada on June 27 1980. The British Parliament did not give up the last of its authority to make amendments to the Canadian constitution until it passed the Canada Act of 1982. The gradual evolution of the Canadian sense of national identity outside of the UK can also be seen by the flag. For most of its history, Canada simply flew the British Union Jack. The first Canadian flag was a version of the British Red Ensign, with the Union Jack in the upper left hand corner.

Canadas current maple leaf flag was not adopted until 1965. The Union Jack remained the provincial flag of Newfoundland and Labrador until 1980. Symbols of Canadas British heritage can still be seen in a lot of their federal and provincial symbols, most notably the Union Jack that appears on their coat of arms, and the versions of the British Red Ensign that form the flags of Ontario and Manitoba. A lot of Canadian citizens still privately fly the British Union Jack out of pride for their heritage.

Ontario

Manitoba

The UK and Canada are kind of like a strawberry plant. Strawberry plants send out runners, which establish roots and grow into a completely new plant. This plant can function completely independently, but it still maintains the runner that gave birth to it. The official head of state for Canada is still the monarch, who is represented by the governor general that they appoint. Like in Britain, this authority is mostly symbolic.

Now, some Canadians want to completely sever what is left of this umbilical chord, declaring a Republic of Canada. Members of the group Citizens for a Canadian Republic have protested visits of the monarchy, holding up signs like, were not bees, why do we need a queen? Chapters exist throughout the country. They proudly acknowledge the red maple leaf as the symbol of their nation. These people love their country, they want what is best for it, and for that I must respect them.

Symbol of Citizens for a Canadian Republic www.canadian-republic.ca A short-lived Republic of Canada actually existed before Canada was even a united country. After the former Toronto mayor William Lyon Mackenzie fought against British rule in the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837, he made himself the provisional head of state for the Republic, which he established on Navy Island just above Niagara Falls. Being on the border, it was easy for Mackenzie to seek refuge in the United States, where he received a lot of support for his rebellion. The U.S. government was officially neutral, but did not do much to prevent Americans from volunteering their efforts. There is nothing wrong with getting outside support for a rebellion. It is important to remember though that there might be some ulterior motives behind the solidarity. A lot of Americans felt that getting rid of British rule in North America would help in the cause of Manifest Destiny, in hoping to gain control of the entire continent, including Canada. Americans helped the Republic of Texas to gain independence from Mexico, but only because they wanted to make it another state in the Union. Later in life, William Lyon Mackenzie himself came out in favor of the annexation of Canada by the United States. Looking at the flag he used for the Republic of Canada makes it seem like he certainly looked to the U.S. for inspiration.

I like liberty, but this looks less like a flag and more like a bumper sticker on a pick-up.

There is a lesson in this. If the United States and Canada are both republics, there is another level of differentiation between these two countries that will get stripped away. American expansionists will surely take this as a sign that they are one step closer to achieving Anchluss. Of course, Canada should not take a different political course just to spite the U.S. It should consider the advantages of a republic, and make sure that their own government possesses them. If at all possible however, they might want to consider doing this while packaging it under a different name. There is also a Monarchist League of Canada, working to preserve and promote awareness of Canadas royal heritage. Their mission is counter to that of Citizens for a Canadian Republic, and yet I find myself respecting them as well. This has to do with their motivations of wanting to protect what they see as a significant part of Canadas identity, and their own use of the red maple leaf in their symbols. This tells me that they try to be good Canadian patriots.

Flag of the Monarchist League of Canada www.monarchist.ca The Canadian monarchists surely have their weaknesses as well. It is notable that the Monarchist League was formed in 1970. This was soon after the British Red Ensign was replaced as the national flag, a move that many had opposed. The foundation of this movement was surely born in reaction to the move towards adopting purely Canadian symbols with no sign of their ties to the UK. If the Monarchist League had its way, Canada might have never formed its own identity. They might have never acknowledged that the aboriginal peoples were vital to their sense of nationhood. If the Canadian sense of identity was a mirror of either the United States or the United Kingdom, then they would not be being true to themselves. Thankfully, the monarchists have now adopted truly Canadian symbols as well. They might have never taken this form however if they had not met any resistance from anti-monarchists. They might have become fanatical loyalists that tried to oppress any sense of independent Canadian spirit. Just as gravity helps our bones to grow straight and strong, resistance helps to keep social movements honest and true.

It should also be noted that it is easier for many Canadian subjects to retain their sense of connection to the British crown because it never treads on their freedom. Had the redcoats not tread on the freedom of the thirteen colonies, the United States might have kept King George as their sovereign. These freedoms that keep most Canadians from being resentful of Britain are the same ones that the anti-monarchists like Mackenzie helped fight to establish. Despite their opposing opinions, the monarchists and the anti-monarchists have a lot in common. They are all Canadians, and it is with a passionate love of country that they are trying to work for what is best for Canada. This is a bond shared by a lot of people in opposition to each other that is often forgotten. All Canadian patriots have the same goal but there are a lot of different methods to choose from in trying to work towards this dream that drives them all. *** What would be really great is if the royal family made their primary residence in Ottawa. Then, instead of being viewed as the Queen of England first and the Queen of Canada second, it would be the other way around. This vast territory would make the ideal crown jewel for Her Majestys realm. If this was the center of the royal domain, I could be exited by the notion of the Queen reclaiming her former territories from the Victorian Age, and creating a Canadian Empire where the sun never set. The rest of the world might not be too enthusiastic about this. Countries that were once ruled by England usually dont have the fondest memories of that time. I know people in the thirteen American colonies were upset about being forced to buy their tea, but that is a small sufferance compared to the insults that other British dependencies had to endure. They let the Irish starve, even though there was plenty to eat in Ireland besides the failing potato crop. People in Africa or India didnt really have it any better. Despite the crimes against humanity that were perpetrated around the world, I can still see a how some people could have a romanticized vision of the British Empire, at least if you were British. Imagine being able to travel the world without ever needing your passport, as if you could be in the most exotic places on Earth and somehow still feel like you were home. I have not stood on the shore of Canadas Atlantic seaboard, and gone without imagining something invisible that connected that land with the Australian outback, the Southern Alps of New Zealand, or the turquoise Caribbean waters of St. Kitts. On a planet that has had so much trouble seeing itself as connected, there is actually something kind of nice about that. The problem with empires such as these is that they try to make the world one by taking it over, and getting rid of anything they cant assimilate. Native cultures are oppressed, if not completely eradicated. They used to say that the ways of Britain were the ways of the world, expecting all nations except but their own to change.

I am glad that Canada was allowed to come into its own. Great Britain did not make itself bigger by making its colonies smaller. I am also glad that the British Empire was able to morph into the partnership of equals that the Commonwealth of Nations is. I kind of wish they still called it the British Commonwealth however. Perhaps they could still call it such in Britain, but call it the Indian Commonwealth in India, and the Canadian Commonwealth in Canada. After all, we are all centers of our own world.

Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations As a constitutional monarchy, Canada remains part of an exclusive inner circle of the Commonwealth of Nations, known as Crown-Commonwealth Realms that retain Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state. Back when Westminster began granting the governments of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand greater autonomy there was an alternative plan to create an Imperial Parliament. This would seem to keep the British Empire unified, as it was when Westminster was in full control, except now there would be a parliament that included members elected by the citizens of each of its realms who would finally have an equal voice. Although not as glorious as complete subjugation by England, this devolution of power must have seemed like a welcome alternative to dissolution of the Empire. There are still dreams of closer political ties between the Crown-Commonwealth Realms, and they are voiced through the United Commonwealth Society (UCS).

Symbols of the United Commonwealth Society from their Facebook page

The UCS takes great pride in each of these countries being Westminster-style parliamentary democracies, and hope that this could be the basis for future economic integration and possibly an eventual political union. They picture the entire Commonwealth of Nations as part of their sphere of influence. From the map on their website, it almost seems as if the UCS hopes to bring the British Empire back from the dead, albeit in a more benign and equitable form.

Source: United Commonwealth Society As you can see from this map, with some kind of United Commonwealth Federation, Canada would be part of a group with considerable political clout in future diplomacy. At the same time, the size of this group would be limited enough that Canadas voice would not get lost in it, as it might among the hundreds of voices in the UN. It is also a better alternative to being joined at the hip to the United States. However, the idea for a Commonwealth Federation seems to be most popular in the United Kingdom. The UCS emphasizes the common culture of the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, by which it only means that part of their heritage coming from Great Britain. If you only can see what these four countries share than you will miss what makes each of them unique. Many Canadian monarchists should keep in mind that their family heritage might play a factor in their willingness to pay homage to the UK, a heritage that many of their fellow Canadians do not share. French Canadians are descended from settlers who did not

find themselves under British rule by choice. Their presence in the land pre-dated the British. They have less reason to pledge allegiance to a queen of the royal lineage that conquered them. It is no wonder then that support for the constitutional monarchy is lowest in Quebec. It has even been suggested that a Canadian republic could be a good compromise position to keep Quebec within the confederation. For any ties that Canada has with the UK, it should not have to sever any of the ties that it has with France. I am glad that Canada can have its voice in the Commonwealth of Nations, but to spread its influence even farther it should retain its status as a full-fledged member of La Francophonie. This Paris based organization is an international cooperative of territories emphasizing the use of the French language, and includes many former colonies of the French Empire, like Quebec.

Canada and other members of La Francophonie from Wikipedia As a member of both La Francophonie and the Commonwealth of Nations, Canada is expressing that it has dual roots of European heritage and that they will continue to pay homage to both of them.

The flags of La Francophonie and the Commonwealth of Nations being flown on opposite sides of the capitol in Ottawa Source: Wikipedia It is difficult to treat them as equal though, when it is the British monarch that picks the governor general as the official head of the Canadian government. To resolve this issue, I find inspiration in the agreement to have the Northern Irish city of Derry (still known as Londonderry by British loyalists) rotate between having a loyalist mayor and a nationalist mayor. Canada could develop the same kind of system of rotation for their governor general, a post that one person holds for five years. Have every other governor general appointed by the British monarch, and have the ones in between appointed by the president of the French Republic. There is still the issue that new Canadian citizens have to take an oath of allegiance, which includes declaring loyalty to the monarch. This is one of the major characteristics that the anti-monarchists want replaced. So here is my proposal. Canada has two official languages, English and French. The English language is an obvious inheritance from Great Britain, and if you want to take the oath of allegiance in English, then it should remain as is. However, for those who are staunchly anti-monarchist, I say that they should not be forced into acknowledging her royal majesty as their sovereign. They should have the option of taking an alternative oath of allegiance, in French, where they still promise to abide the laws of the land, but they pledge loyalty to the Republic of Quebec, and to all the people of Canada. A third option would be for people to make an oath of allegiance in Gaelic to the Republic of Newfoundland. Such symbolic political actions would not help to increase the number of people who swear fealty to the crown, but it would certainly increase the meaning behind the oath of allegiance for anyone who chooses to freely give it.