Letter: Is It Time for Canada to Leave the Monarchy Behind?
In this Letter to the Editor, a reader calls for Canada to cut ties with the monarchy following what they see as a royal snub in favour of Donald Trump.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
I was a strong monarchist until recently.
I was pleased when HRM King Charles III and Queen Camilla opened Parliament in the face of the threat of Donald Trump. It set a tone. A solid message.
I appreciated the follow-up visit of the Duke of Edinburgh to the East Coast of Canada. Again, it sent a reinforcing message to our aggressive neighbour to the south that we do not stand alone.
And then we learn that His Majesty has invited the President of the United States and family for their second Royal State visit to Britain in September, a privilege NEVER bestowed on any previous President but more appalling NEVER granted to even ONE Prime Minister of Canada!
Sure, they have been invited to the odd Commonwealth dinner hosted by his or her Majesty, but not inclusive of family! And the rule is that Commonwealth countries are NOT granted State Dinners in the UK, only State Visits (which we, the taxpayers, pick up the tab for!)
And while King Charles is pulling out the silver goblets and pheasant for Donald Trump and the Trumpettes — who is currently being investigated for serious inappropriate involvement with known pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — His Majesty has subjugated his own brother, Prince Andrew.
He is person non gratis and cut off from funding. Charles won’t be seen in Andrew’s presence and is trying to remove him from his 75-year lease on his housing because of HIS relationship with Epstein!
There’s nothing too palatable in this meal. How does this make sense?
So, while Trump is feted, Canadian taxpayers enjoy the privilege of paying for a Governor General to represent the King on Canadian soil for approximately five years in a home grander than the Prime Minister’s, with staff and drivers, and then they are sent off to pasture with a pension for life.
And what exactly do they do? Accept the Prime Minister’s resignation, cancel Parliament to call an election, attend big cost affairs usually with a large delegation, etc., all on our dime (currently $342K/yr).
I can no longer call Charles III “my King” if he is someone who would pander to someone like Donald Trump, and assume that the goodwill of our relationship will remain when it seems so one-sided?
Like so many other nations, including Caribbean nations, has the time come to examine our relationship with the monarchy?
Why continue to do something just because it “easy” and it “has always been that way” when it makes better sense for Canada to break this artificial umbilical cord with the monarchy and become a truly free and independent nation and develop a relevant Constitution, Parliament, and Senate NOT modelled after an archaic British system as other nations have done?
And as a proud Canadian, I am angry that HRM King Charles III would insult our nation in this manner by celebrating Trump, at this time when we are in tariff wars with a country that has threatened to annex us.
This shows Canadians NO respect at all, and frankly, we deserve to be free of these artificial ties and a free member of the Commonwealth.
Donna Pettigrew Hepburn
Kemble, ON
Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.
In response to the recent opinion expressed in The Owen Sound Current about the Canadian Monarchy may I share a few thoughts:
First – our Monarch should not be blamed for inviting Donald Trump to a second State Visit to the UK. The blame should be directed to the British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer who directed the King to issue the invitation. Starmer did this for purely political (short-sighted) reasons and the King had no choice but to comply.
Second – right now Canada is fighting to maintain its sovereignty, its values , its heritage. If we tear up our roots as a nation and throw them away we are doomed and then Canada will be easy pickings for Donald Trump to take us over – because we won’t have any roots, stability to fall back on.
Third - let’s reflect on the values of Canada’s heroic veterans who went overseas during the First and Second World Wars – after they swore oaths of allegiance to the King – many of them went to their deaths months / years before the USA even entered the Wars. That is something which Canadians should value very highly – do we want to throw that away ?
Mark Lemon, Annan