EDITORIAL: Moving on from colonial masters

This week’s visit by future king Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla offers more than simply an opportunity to “royal watch.”

It can be the conduit which begin a new conversation about the relevancy of the monarchy in Canada and whether changes need to be made to how our country is governed.

The patriation of Canada’s Constitution in 1982 gave us a certain separation from the Crown – the British North America Act was replaced by the Constitution Act – one that seemed more psychological than practical. But we still observe the monarchy daily, from putting the Queen’s image on our money, to calling our legal prosecutors “Crown counsel” to requiring royal assent for federal legislation to be passed into law.

Those aspects of our governance would be costly to move away from, if only for the bureaucracy they would create.

Regardless, it may be time to rethink the relationship. According to the Monarchist League of Canada, we spend more than $50 million per year to support the monarchy’s presence in our country.

Monarchist League chief operating officer Robert Finch said this summer that for the price of a cup of coffee – the total cost broke down to $1.53 per capita – “Canadians can enjoy the stability of the Crown.”

Can Canada stand on its own without the link to Great Britain? We think so. Would the money be better spent on an independent head of state accountable only to Canadians? Quite likely.

The majority of Canadians surveyed over the summer said Canada’s ties to the monarchy should be severed after the Queen dies. Part of that response no doubt comes from a more culturally diverse population who don’t see the point of maintaining legal and governmental ties to our former colonial masters.

Removing that link clearly wouldn’t include severing diplomatic ties. But it’s time for Canada to grow up and leave the nest in a meaningful way.

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