Canada Is Facing Calls To Cut Ties With A 'Racist' Monarchy & Here's How That Would Work
Spoiler alert: it would be hard.
King Charles III. Right: Yves-Francois Blanchet.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last month, the role of the British monarchy in Canada has come to the forefront of conversations.
On October 25, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet tabled a motion in Canadian parliament to cut ties with the monarchy altogether. He described the history of the British Empire as both "incredibly racist" and "extremely slave-driven."
\u201cThe #HoC is debating a @BlocQuebecois #OppositionMotion (Ties between the Canadian State and the monarchy).\n\n\u25b6\ufe0f Watch the debate live: https://t.co/re7clEzaKl\u201d— In the Chamber (@In the Chamber) 1666726370
Blanchet's motion, if passed, would establish that the House of Commons "express its desire to sever ties between the Canadian State and the British monarchy, and call on the government to take the actions necessary to do so."
Blanchet reiterated his point in an open letter published in the National Post, where he states that the British monarchy is "at odds with our democratic values."
And Blanchet is not alone.
Monarchy in Canada poll
In a September 2022 poll, over half of Canadians (54%) said they believe that the death of Queen Elizabeth II would be a good opportunity to cut ties with the monarchy.
On top of that, 58% of Canadians think that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should hold a referendum on the future of the monarchy in Canada.
A lot of this support stems from Quebec, where 79% think we should end our relationship with the monarchy, with Alberta having the least amount of support with 42%.
The monarchy's role in Canada
While Canada democratically elects a prime minister, who is the head of government, they are not the country's head of state. That title goes to the British monarch (now King Charles III) and is where all governmental power stems.
But, of course, the king is over in England, so their power is given to Canada's Governor General. It's their job to use the royal power to sign all legislation into law as well as other ceremonial duties on behalf of the monarch.
The cost of the monarchy in Canada
Maintaining the monarchy in Canada doesn't come free and there are some costs associated with it.
In 2021, it was calculated that the Crown in Canada costs the nation over $58 million a year, which equates to about $1.55 per Canadian.
The biggest cost is maintaining the Governor General's office.
What would it take to get rid of the monarchy in Canada?
This is something that's easier said than done.
According to The Toronto Star, getting rid of the monarchy would require the agreeance of the House of Commons, the Senate and all ten provinces.
This is actually much more than is necessary for typical changes to the constitution, which usually only require the approval of the House, the Senate and seven provinces representing 50% of the country's population.
So, while not impossible, it could be quite a challenge for a government to toss out the new king.
But, that didn't stop this new motion from being put forward, which is expected to be voted on by the House of Commons on October 26.
While the country of Canada technically has King Charles III as its head of state, there is still no news about when Canadian money will replace Queen Elizabeth II with the new monarch.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.