A royal visit to Canada is bound to cause excitement for some, hatred for a few, and apathy for many. A royal visit that incorporates Canada Day festivities ought to have sparked much more controversy and conversation than it did, and it must be asked: what does a Canadian monarchy mean in 2011?
Originally conceived as Dominion Day, July 1st celebrated the 1867 enactment of the British North America Act, which united three British colonies (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada) as one country within the Empire. In 1982, the year the Constitution Act patriated the Canadian constitution, July 1st was renamed Canada Day. The name change celebrated the severing of Canada’s legal dependence on Westminster Palace.
Lasting from June 30th to July 8th, the excitement caused by the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Canada was glaring. On the surface it was a festive diplomatic visit from the newest, most beloved royal celebrities since the Duke’s own mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. The undeniably charming newlyweds mingled with Canadian dignitaries, watched fireworks, and greeted the crowds of what can only be described as their fans.
The pandemonium had little effect on unvisited cities such as Toronto. We all saw the photographs of William and Catherine Windsor in the Globe, Star, or Post, and were undoubtedly reminded by peers of how much federal and provincial money was being spent on the English circus (about £950,000 GBP or $1,465,833 CAD).
Anti-federalist and anti-monarchist protests in Quebec during the couple’s stop in the province were small. Protests simply didn’t occur in Anglophone provinces.
What Canadians need to discuss is whether or not we ought to sustain our current relationship with the British monarchy. A hereditary monarch guarantees the principle of impartiality, which supports (but does not solely ensure) governmental stability and accountability. As far as royals go, if and when he is crowned King of Canada, William will most likely be met with popular approval and fulfil his duties to the best of his ability. A sour head of state, he will act mainly as a figurehead and a symbol. But does the history of the monarchy, and what it symbolizes, reflect Canada today?
Monarchy represents a history of building an empire while simultaneously oppressing and destroying countless peoples and nations. It represents the divine right of kings, murderous conquest, and Christian privilege. Such ideas are widely acknowledged as things of the past but are symbolically inseparable from a state system that adheres to a crown. England built much of the foundations of our federalism and our parliamentary democracy, but the colonial legacy also resonates as a legacy of racism, elitism and delayed secularization. The greatest
poverty and disadvantage in this country (namely, that experienced by First Nations peoples) is a direct reverberation of monarchical imperialism. It’s a history inextricably tied to the English royal family. I’m uncomfortable being a royal subject of a family with such a history.
Many Canadians have ancestral ties to England, however, and take pride in that enduring connection to the land of their forefathers. My own maternal grandfather came to Canada from Liverpool between the World Wars. I felt that loyalty to my English roots swell in my chest when I watched William and Kate’s April wedding on television. My histories betray one an- other however, and as an Irishwoman, a Scot, and a German I could not help but feel disgusted. As a Canadian, I’ve been taught to value the land of my ancestors. As a history student, I’ve been taught to be critical of my loyalties.
Until there is an extreme discomfort amongst most Canadians, or an extreme economic benefit to be reaped, there probably will not be a surge in interest surrounding the Canadian monarchy. Unless we engage in constructive, intelligent discussions about the future of our monarchy, we will see William on a $20 bill in our lifetime.
If there is to be a symbolic head of stateinthecountry,whynotmakethat position truly distinct from the British monarchy? Why not an elected or rotating head of state who is Anishinaabe, or Métis, or Inuit?
We mustn’t forget our history as a colony, for it’s certainly shaped much of what we’ve become as a nation. But no matter how much love we may have for ol’ blighty, for tradition, or for monarchical pomp, we can’t forgo reconciliation, modernity, and remembrance. Canada deserves better.
