Members of Parliament and senators may be able to dodge the centuries-old oath of allegiance to King Charles if a Liberal MP gets his pending private member’s bill passed.
Canadian monarchists say the bill is republicanism by stealth — part of a larger effort to slowly chip away at the Crown’s standing in Canada without actually scrapping the monarchy through a protracted constitutional fight with the provinces.
Canada’s republicans, meanwhile, are welcoming the bill as a necessary first step toward ridding the country of what they maintain is an outdated institution.
Section 128 of the Constitution demands that every newly elected or appointed parliamentarian swear that they will “be faithful and bear true allegiance” to the reigning monarch.
Under Canada’s founding document, a member cannot legally assume his or her seat in Parliament until they’ve taken the oath to the sovereign.
The monarch listed in the one-line oath is Queen Victoria, but the oath includes a line stating that the actual name will change from “time to time.”
Bill C-347, introduced by New Brunswick Liberal MP René Arseneault, would upend that tradition by allowing federal politicians to swear an “oath of office.”
That stripped-down oath would simply state that an office holder will carry out their duties “in the best interest of Canada while upholding its Constitution.”
Arseneault did not make himself available for an interview with CBC News.
King Charles’s deep ties to Canada
Britain’s new monarch King Charles has deep ties to Canada, forging connections with some Canadians through his charitable work and outreach during his many visits to the country.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said repeatedly that now is not the time to debate the monarchy’s role in Canada.
Trudeau has praised King Charles as a man “deeply aligned” with Canadian values, such as the fight against climate change and the pursuit of Indigenous reconciliation.
A spokesperson for Justice Minister Arif Virani said the government “will have more to say about this private member’s bill when it comes up for debate.” That will happen when Parliament returns later this month.
Arseneault has found a supporter in Pierre Vincent, a man with a long history of royal oath opposition.
King Charles visits the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Dec. 14, 2023. (Hannah McKay/The Associated Press)
Vincent, a former federal public servant and a member of Citizens for a Canadian Republic, challenged a similar requirement that bureaucrats swear allegiance to the sovereign.
Vincent, an Acadian, said he didn’t want the monarch’s name crossing his lips given the British role in the 18th century expulsion of his French-speaking ancestors from what’s now Atlantic Canada.
‘Colonial, medieval stuff’
“They gave me an ultimatum,” he said of the public service top brass. “They told me to take the oath or you’re fired and I told them, ‘Nope!'”
After a years-long battle, Vincent won and the oath was quietly dropped for bureaucrats.
Now, he wants parliamentarians to break with the past.
“Why are we still doing this colonial, medieval stuff that does not coincide with our modern views of diversity and inclusion? I mean, it’s ridiculous. It makes no sense,” Vincent told CBC News.
“You know, sacrificing virgins used to be a tradition in Mexico. They’ve dumped that. A tradition itself is not a good reason to be doing things like this, to be violating free speech.”
He said republicans are “foolishly” trying to dismantle Canada’s Westminster system of government, a parliamentary structure that has served the country well for more than 150 years.
He said Canada’s longstanding link to the Crown, an institution above the whims of partisan politics, is something to celebrate.
King Charles sits with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he receives realm prime ministers in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace in London on Sept. 17, 2022. (Stefan Rousseau/The Associated Press)
The Governor General, the King’s representative in Canada, is a check on political power — ensuring the prime minister commands the confidence of the House of Commons, Fraser said.
“We live in a constitutional Crown system and trying to break it up piecemeal is not a good way to run a country,” Fraser told CBC News.
“If the government of the day feels that it’s time for us to seriously consider becoming a republic, they should draft a referendum and present it to the people. But they also need a backup plan to replace it.”
King Charles won’t be known as ‘defender of the faith.’ Does it matter?
King Charles will have a new title in Canada now that the government has dropped “defender of the faith” — part of a push to redefine the head of state’s role.
Republicans have not settled on a viable alternative to the current system, Fraser said.
Would Canada adopt an appointed or elected presidential system? Would there be any difference between the head of state and the head of government, as there is now?
“Doing away with the oath — it’s all based on emotionalism,” Fraser said. “I don’t think we should marginalize something that is an integral part of our system of government. Look at how republics are faring right now. Look to the south, the U.S. Do we want that here?”
The Monarchist League of Canada has launched a letter-writing campaign, directing its members to ask MPs to quash the bill.
The group calls the legislation an effort to “promote republicanism via the well-cloaked back door.”
Neither camp has public opinion squarely on its side. Polls suggest country is split up the middle on whether it’s time to cut ties with the Crown.
There are also doubts about whether dropping the oath could be accomplished through legislation alone.
In the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2014 Senate reference, the justices affirmed that changes to “the office of the Queen, the Governor General and the Lieutenant Governor of a province” require the unanimous consent of the House of Commons, the Senate and all provincial legislatures.
Unanimity gives all partners in Canada “a veto on those topics that are considered the most essential to the survival of the state,” the court ruled.
There is a section of the Constitution that gives Parliament power over itself — but the court ruled there are limits to that power.
Barbara Messamore is a professor of history at the University of the Fraser Valley and an expert on the Crown in Canada.
She said dropping the oath actually would be a “profound change by stealth” to Canada’s system.
“This bill is being smuggled in under the guise of something that’s not very significant. And I would suggest to you that it is pretty significant,” she told CBC News. “I would never downplay an oath. It’s a promise.
“It’s not just about a personal allegiance to Charles. It’s about your allegiance to Canada’s Constitution, Canada’s people, Canada’s system of government. It’s not about the personal popularity of the sovereign — it’s about an allegiance to a broader system.”
People from the Monarchist League of Canada hold a massive Canadian flag and place flowers for former monarchs as they prepare to attend the coronation of King Charles in London on Friday, May 5, 2023. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
Messamore said that if the bill passes, it could end up before the courts, where judges could decide whether Parliament can enact such a change unilaterally.
“The monarchy is at the heart of our Constitution in all sorts of ways. The whole parliamentary system is organized around it. I think that it naturally flows that any oath made by parliamentarians would have to include an allegiance to the Crown,” she said.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MONTREAL – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will not be taking advice from Pierre Poilievre after the Conservative leader challenged him to bring down government.
“I say directly to Pierre Poilievre: I’m not going to listen to you,” said Singh on Wednesday, accusing Poilievre of wanting to take away dental-care coverage from Canadians, among other things.
“I’m not going to listen to your advice. You want to destroy people’s lives, I want to build up a brighter future.”
Earlier in the day, Poilievre challenged Singh to commit to voting non-confidence in the government, saying his party will force a vote in the House of Commons “at the earliest possibly opportunity.”
“I’m asking Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to commit unequivocally before Monday’s byelections: will they vote non-confidence to bring down the costly coalition and trigger a carbon tax election, or will Jagmeet Singh sell out Canadians again?” Poilievre said.
“It’s put up or shut up time for the NDP.”
While Singh rejected the idea he would ever listen to Poilievre, he did not say how the NDP would vote on a non-confidence motion.
“I’ve said on any vote, we’re going to look at the vote and we’ll make our decision. I’m not going to say our decision ahead of time,” he said.
Singh’s top adviser said on Tuesday the NDP leader is not particularly eager to trigger an election, even as the Conservatives challenge him to do just that.
Anne McGrath, Singh’s principal secretary, says there will be more volatility in Parliament and the odds of an early election have risen.
“I don’t think he is anxious to launch one, or chomping at the bit to have one, but it can happen,” she said in an interview.
New Democrat MPs are in a second day of meetings in Montreal as they nail down a plan for how to navigate the minority Parliament this fall.
The caucus retreat comes one week after Singh announced the party has left the supply-and-confidence agreement with the governing Liberals.
It’s also taking place in the very city where New Democrats are hoping to pick up a seat on Monday, when voters go to the polls in Montreal’s LaSalle—Émard—Verdun. A second byelection is being held that day in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood—Transcona, where the NDP is hoping to hold onto a seat the Conservatives are also vying for.
While New Democrats are seeking to distance themselves from the Liberals, they don’t appear ready to trigger a general election.
Singh signalled on Tuesday that he will have more to say Wednesday about the party’s strategy for the upcoming sitting.
He is hoping to convince Canadians that his party can defeat the federal Conservatives, who have been riding high in the polls over the last year.
Singh has attacked Poilievre as someone who would bring back Harper-style cuts to programs that Canadians rely on, including the national dental-care program that was part of the supply-and-confidence agreement.
The Canadian Press has asked Poilievre’s office whether the Conservative leader intends to keep the program in place, if he forms government after the next election.
With the return of Parliament just days away, the NDP is also keeping in mind how other parties will look to capitalize on the new makeup of the House of Commons.
The Bloc Québécois has already indicated that it’s written up a list of demands for the Liberals in exchange for support on votes.
The next federal election must take place by October 2025 at the latest.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is defending her decision to turn off comments on her social media accounts — with an announcement on social media.
She posted screenshots to X this morning of vulgar names she’s been called on the platform, and says comments on her posts for months have been dominated by insults, to the point that she decided to block them.
Montreal’s Opposition leader and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association have criticized Plante for limiting freedom of expression by restricting comments on her X and Instagram accounts.
They say elected officials who use social media should be willing to hear from constituents on those platforms.
However, Plante says some people may believe there is a fundamental right to call someone offensive names and to normalize violence online, but she disagrees.
Her statement on X is closed to comments.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
