Monarchism in Canada

rdf:langString Monarchism in Canada

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rdf:langString Every country is different, and we grew up in this one with the Royal Family as part of our heritage.

rdf:langString In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains and certain aspects of our system pertain to it which are not dependent on any political party. In this sense, the Crown is the consecrated spirit of Canada.

rdf:langString I want the Crown to be seen as a symbol of national sovereignty belonging to all. It is not only a link between Commonwealth nations, but between Canadian citizens of every national origin and ancestry ... I want the Crown in Canada to represent everything that is best and most admired in the Canadian ideal.

rdf:langString Canadians should realise when they are well off under the monarchy. For the vast majority of Canadians, being a monarchy is probably the only form of government acceptable to them. I have always been for parliamentary democracy and I think the institution of monarchy with the Queen heading it all has served Canada well.

rdf:langString The monarchy in Canada has undergone profound change since Confederation. Indeed, far from being a static institution mired in the past, it has been remarkably versatile. Particularly relevant here is the process by which an indivisible Imperial Crown was superseded by a divisible Canadian Crown.

rdf:langString But for all those who don't want the Queen there are easily as many who don't want a President and even more who certainly would not want one if they knew who it would be. As you can readily see, I have given more thought to this subject than most and I have reached my own conclusion. God save the Queen.

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rdf:langString Elizabeth II, Toronto, 1973

rdf:langString Hunting Stuart & the Voice of the People, 1994

rdf:langString Pierre Trudeau, 1973

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rdf:langString Stephen Phillips, 2002

rdf:langString Wayne Gretzky, General Motors Place, Vancouver, 2002

rdf:langString Canadian monarchism is a movement for raising awareness of Canada's constitutional monarchy among the Canadian public, and advocating for its retention, countering republican and anti-monarchical reform as being generally revisionist, idealistic, and ultimately impracticable. Generally, Canadian monarchism runs counter to anti-monarchist republicanism, but not necessarily to the classical form of republicanism itself, as most monarchists in Canada support the constitutional variety of monarchy, sometimes referred to as a crowned republic. These beliefs can be expressed either individually—generally in academic circles—or through what are known as loyal societies, which include the Monarchist League of Canada, legions, historical groups, ethnic organizations, and sometimes police and scout bodies. Though there may be overlap, this concept should not be confused with royalism, the support of a particular monarch or dynasty; Canadian monarchists may appreciate the monarchy without thinking highly of the monarch. There have also been, from time to time, suggestions in favour of a uniquely Canadian monarch, either one headed by a descendant of the present monarch and resident in Canada or one based on a First Nations royal house. In Canada, monarchism, though it is sometimes mocked by its opponents, is driven by various factors: monarchists support the perceived practicality of popular power being ultimately placed in the hands of a non-partisan, apolitical individual, and see the Canadian monarchy as a modern link, via the Crown's shared nature, to ethnically and historically similar countries around the world. It is also celebrated by monarchists as being a significant element of Canada's national identity, stemming from the organization's 500-year deep roots in the country's tradition, as well as having a pivotal role in maintaining Canada's independence from the United States. Though a majority of polled individuals agree that the monarchy has a role as a Canadian identifier, as with its political counterpart, strong monarchism is not a prevalent element of contemporary Canadian society; according to surveys, the population is generally unaware of the existence of a monarch as their head of state. Andrew Coyne commented on monarchism: "In most countries loyalty to the head of state—that is, to the existing constitutional order—is the first duty of citizens. Here [in Canada] it is a kind of rebellion, the obsession of a radical fringe group dismissively referred to as 'monarchists'."