Incremental Deconstruction of the Monarchy

“Do nothing by halves

Which can be done by quarters.“

FR. Scott: WLMK

Many countries have removed their monarch in the last century or so: China, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Iran, Italy, and Russia – to name a few.  Most replacements have been non-violent, breaking with the tradition of the century prior.  Recently, Barbados abandoned its British Monarch, becoming a Republic.

Clearly, it can be done.  But the prospect seems fraught in Canada, even if there is significant public support.  The Canadian Constitution would require amendment, a probability as likely as snow in July.  An opportunity arises with the accession of King Charles, but Prime Minister Trudeau argues that Canadians are occupied with other, more important concerns.

Assuming that Canadians would prefer someone other than a British Monarch as Head of State – and this appears to be borne out by opinion polls – there may be a way to gradually replace the British Monarch without immediate Constitutional change.  These would result in a de facto republican structure without de jure authorization.

Consider some strategies and actions we might undertake to weaken the presence and influence of the British Monarchy in Canada.  None of them are revolutionary in themselves.  Let us engage in:

• Benign Neglect.  Our public institutions need no longer celebrate or even mark events associated with the British Monarchy.  They should feel free to ignore royal births and marriages, though deaths would continue to receive respect.  Victoria Day, as a quaint colonial relic, should be replaced; I have much sympathy with the coincident Québecois ‘Fête nationale des Patriotes’, commemorating the rebellions against colonialism and the family compact, beginning representative democracy in Canada.  No monarch or familial representative would be invited to Canada in any official capacity, although they could still be welcomed as tourists.
• Selecting New Symbols.  Australia has taken the lead here, in removing the visage of the British Monarch from the currency.  Canada could do the same, with only administrative changes.  But there any many other symbols: portraits, prayers, invocations, anthems, etc.  Most if not all can be replaced through administrative regulation.  For the military forces, this would require a reversal of Prime Minister Harper’s decision to add the word “Royal” to the forces’ names.
• Changing the Oath of Citizenship.  There is no practical need to swear an oath to a foreign monarch.  It is enough to swear to observe the laws of Canada and the Constitution and to fulfil one’s duties as a citizen.  The oath can be changed by Act of Parliament.
• Establishing a New Way to Select a Representative of the Head of State.  Currently, the Prime Minister recommends to the reigning monarch an individual to serve as the monarch’s representative, the Governor General of Canada.  This allows patronage and favouritism in selection, sometimes with questionable results.  Suppose, instead, the Prime Minister chose a name from a short list prepared by a non-partisan group such as Companions of the Order of Canada.  This would grant political legitimacy to the office, a necessary condition if the at some point the formal consent of the monarch is no longer required.  There may be better methods of naming a Governor General; these can be determined through discussion and consensus.
• Seeking Forgiveness Not Permission.  Current practice is that the Prime Minister recommends a candidate for Governor General to the monarch, who approves it as a matter of ceremony.  Instead, perhaps the Prime Minister could simply advise the monarch that a new Governor General has been named.  Since the monarch has no formal authority to reject the Prime Minister’s recommendation, approval is not required.

With such measures, over time the presence of the monarchy in Canada would be reduced to a ghost of itself.  Although Canada would still be a constitutional monarchy in law, in practice it would be a republic.  Canada could still be a member of the Commonwealth; indeed there are more republics in the Commonwealth than monarchical realms.

A more straightforward transition to a republic would, in my view, be preferable but it does not appear to be practical at the moment.  As an alternative, let us embrace creative ambiguity and achieve regime change by incremental deconstruction.