Carleton Professor and
Canadians call for a
Republic of Canadians
According to a Dominion Institute poll released by the
The Governor General played a key role in Canadian politics beginning with Confederation in 1867.
It wasn’t until 1952 that Vincent Massey, a Toronto
Previously all of Canada’s Governor Generals were British. However, throughout the Cold War and well into the 21
Carleton history professor Norman Hillmer, an expert on international affairs as well as Canada-British relations, said Michaelle Jean is “not the head of state.”
“Why would we want a foreigner as [Canada’s] head of state?” Hillmer said.
Hillmer said Australia almost abolished the monarchy. Although it didn’t happen, no government party or leader in Canada has ever come close to approaching what the Australians attempted.
Jeffrey Simpson, a columnist for the Globe and Mail, mostly agreed with Hillmer in his column.
“Our politicians are frozen,” Simpson wrote. “They will not speak about the issue. Either they do not think it important (likely), or the monarchists have frightened them because of the racket they would raise (even more likely).”
However, not all think the Crown should be given the boot from the Canadian parliamentary system.
The Monarchist League is ”an organization of Canadians whose object is to support the full expression and better
“Canada’s Constitution separates politics from service, and transient popularity from institutional stability. So the Prime Minister is our head of government and leader of a political party. As such, his actions are often controversial,” says their website.
So what can be done? Simpson suggests it’s time to act.
“We need only to make the decision that we should make
In other words, unless Canadians and their political leaders decide to do something nothing is going to change.
Under Hillmer’s proposal only a few things would change.
The Governor General would be called the “president,” with a set term
Hillmer said there may only be a brief opportunity for change, when Queen Elizabeth II dies and the throne changes hands. However, it still seems unlikely that change will occur unless politicians and the Canadian people speak up.
As Hillmer says, “It takes a lot of political courage to confront an issue you don’t need to confront.”
Perhaps it is time for both the Political leaders and citizens of this country to step
Ottawa Citizen, 92% of Canadians didn’t know the Queen was Canada’s head of state. Most assumed it was either the Prime Minister or the Governor General. native, became Canada’s first Canadian Governor General. st century the Governor General has remained a mere representative of the Queen, playing a minor role in Canadian domestic and foreign policy. understanding of the benefits of Constitutional Monarchy.” They see the Queen as the true leader of Canada and often see Canada’s leader as too “controversial.” a decision, and then figure out the modality to executing it,” he wrote. of five years. He or she (the newly named president) would be appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet – not by the Queen. up and break the final leash that has made us Britain’s lap dog for far too long.
