The Monarchy of Canada

[derpderp]

I guess there has been a bit of discussion as of lately about cutting our ties with the British monarch and becoming a republic, what do you think?

[A790]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[derpderp]

Originally posted by A790
If it ain't broke don't fix it.

I think you might have responded to that poll wrong, if that was you. Can you please change the question of the poll to "Should Canada cut its ties with the British Monarch" and if possible reset the poll.

Don't want to confuse people.

[Type_S1]

What would this accomplish? :dunno:

[A790]

Originally posted by derpderp


I think you might have responded to that poll wrong, if that was you. Can you please change the question of the poll to "Should Canada cut its ties with the British Monarch" and if possible reset the poll.

Don't want to confuse people.
Okie dokie :)

[derpderp]

Originally posted by Type_S1
What would this accomplish? :dunno:

Not much more then the same things as getting our own constitution, simply trying to show we are big boys and girls now.

Also the people who are suppose to proceed Elizabeth seem to not have a huge popularity among the public.

[speedog]

Of note, I do not have any British ancestry in my family's lineage, but I still don't have any issue with Canada being a part of the British monarchy. It seems to have served us well for many decades now and makes Canada kind of unique compared to places like the good ol' US of A or Australia. I, too, have to wonder what would there be to gain if we were truly a country of our own?

[speedog]

Originally posted by derpderp


Not much more then the same things as getting our own constitution, simply trying to show we are big boys and girls now.

Also the people who are suppose to proceed Elizabeth seem to not have a huge popularity among the public. Those 'preceding' the current Queen Elizabeth II are all dead including the previous head of the British monarchy her father, King George VI. Those who are in succession to the throne are first Prince Charles followed by his two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Prince Charles is most definitely not as high as he'd probably like to be on the public popularity meter/gauge but a few well timed live press conferences have proven to have done wonders for British monarchs in the past and don't be too surprised if the same could be said of Prince Charles when his time comes.

[derpderp]

Isn't Australia a part of the commonwealth? Are even 50% of Canadians of English origin anymore? My great grandparents were from Germany.

It wouldn't be a flick of a pen thing though for Canada to become a republic, it would be a pretty big undertaking that would require some work. But maybe some democratic reforms would come from it, like an elected senate.

[speedog]

Yes, Australia still is - reference (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members_of_the_Commonwealth_of_Nations).

[Antonito]

Yay lets send billions of dollars changing our money, paperwork, legal system, etc for the simple result of feeling slightly smug

[Dauthi]

I am not a constitutional lawyer but the poll question "Should Canada cut its ties with the British Monarch" is problematic because, well, we already did, 80 years ago. The 1931 Statute of Westminster (http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/const/lawreg-loireg/p1t171.html) basically confirmed Canada's long established legislative independence. Thus, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, is queen of Canada in right of Canada, and not by virtue of being queen of any other realm or territory.

Now, if you are asking if Canada should become a non-monarchal republic, I think that would be a great deal of effort for very little gain.

edit: spelling

[ZenOps]

Unless there is something to take its place that has tangible benefit to Canada I'd say no. An Anarcho-syndicalist commune? Wiebo Ludwig might be able to help you with that, but its unrealistic. A US two party system, Kim Jong Il or Kim Jong Un? No, not really appropriate either.

At this point in time - Canada does not need or seem to even want democracy. I'm willing to play second fiddle to the US and Europe if that means that I'm not paying 8.667% interest per year on a half million dollars per head like Ireland.

"Canada's constitutional amendments still required approval by the British Parliament after ratification of the Statute of Westminster in 1931"

We gained a great deal of control of our own governance in 1982, but we still have a Prime Minister who has less power than the governor general and the Queen. The only area where I could see some progress by moving away from the Crown is in Newfieland - where squatters (both native and english) have reduced that area to the most poverty stricken area - when technically it probably should be more prosperous than Manhattan.

The rest of Canada would probably suffer from a red-tape useless transition on paper.

[Ven]

I'd rather spend the money on relocating Quebec to France. :)

[Muji]

Depends, do we get our paper bills with hockey players on them if we drop the Q full stop? If so yes, as long as there are no Leafs on the money.

[googe]

yes, definitely. acknowledging a queen, or any royalty, is deeply shameful. rename that highway back as well, and stop doing stupid shit like that in the future once and for all.

[BigMass]

Wouldn’t accomplish jack squat. Money get shuffled around, elite and corporations still have all the power and control, and we lose our major source of gossip

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by derpderp
My great grandparents were from Germany.

So were the Queen's.


(Well, not really. Her great-great grandfather was)

[CUG]

That would waste so much paper too; the court documents and so forth that are templated would all be for nothign.

[ExtraSlow]

I really like the monarchy. Keep 'em.

Plus, our future queen, Kate is kind of hot.

[derpderp]

Results were about what I expected. In 1999 Australia held a vote on this same subject, here was the results:

http://i56.tinypic.com/oiwygp.png

I figure it would be the same in Canada on a national level, with Quebec being the only province to have an overwhelming support to switch to Republicanism.

[Unknown303]

Maybe if we weren't part of the monarchy anymore we could claim that we aren't responsible for what happened to the native population and we could work on taking back the country.. :rofl:

[davidI]

I don't think it hurts to be tied to the UK a little bit. Little known fact is that if you're traveling to one of the many countries that doesn't have a Canadian Embassy, you can go to a British Embassy and they'll help you out.

For that reason alone, I say we keep our ties.

Most of our common law stems from English law so in that sense we'd still be legally / politically tied to them.

[ZenOps]

Originally posted by Unknown303
Maybe if we weren't part of the monarchy anymore we could claim that we aren't responsible for what happened to the native population and we could work on taking back the country.. :rofl:

Thats exactly what would happen.

And thats exactly what starts wars (like the US war for freedom). If the monarchy goes so do the treaties on the land. Which means its a free for all land grab. And I will be damned if Rob Anders gets one acre more than I would, I'd definitely pull out the tank from my back pocket if he got more than me (and chop off his nose too)

I find it somewhat reassuring, that the City of Calgary cannot buy the Tsuu Tina land, nor can a European, nor can a Chinese conglomerate. Its like the ultimate detente when natives own things.

I still say we should be paying them rent and leaving them permanent owners. I really don't want to have to go Kim Jong Il on Rob Anders. I'm willing to pay the natives, but many are not.

Locally speaking: Democracy with no Monarchy does mean - that the 2,000 Tsuu Tina natives would be voted out of their quarter of land by the rest of Calgary. Maybe they should have taken the offer... Board of Directors voting the CEO and original owner be canned, democracy at its finest.

The Tsuu Tina have to know that they are severely stunting the growth of Calgary... Still... It is keeping a longstanding peace that many don't even consider.

PS: If I were a better negotiator, I'd be talking to the natives on their behalf as a corporate interest. If I could convince 1,000 of 2,000 natives to let me handle their land in their name - I'd be the man with the unfinished quadrant of Calgary.

I still can't figure out the natives yet though, maybe one of you younguns will get it straight. And trust me - Rob Anders has 0.0 percent chance of negotiating with the Tsuu Tina, Aggrivating and annoying to the point where they want to move, maybe.

PS: What would I do with a quadrant of Calgary? Probably setup a black hole generator like the Europeans are doing. Hmm... Maybe its for the best I don't get it either, lol.

http://dvice.com/archives/2010/06/chinese-scienti.php

[Porsche_55]

I think that we should have got rid of the Indians when we had the chance. :whipped: Not get rid like what the germans did to the jews but, do what the USA did to the black man. Use them for a while then bring them into socity as an equal (no government funding). Instead of having tax payers pay for thier BS. As for the queen we need to keep her cuz I like how our money looks.