On May 6th, Canada formally received our new King, Charles III, by the grace of God, King of Canada. In an ancient ceremony filled with beauty, goodness, and truth. Watched by hundreds of millions of people. A joyous occasion that was rightly celebrated in our country (if somewhat mildly to the chagrin of monarchists everywhere).
But amidst the revelry, the debates about monarchy and its usefulness erupted once more.
There are a plethora of reasons given for why we should ditch the crown. And I would like to gently and yet emphatically implore my fellow Canadians that we reject the Monarchy at our grave peril.
A few points of order to start: Canada does not “have ties to the British monarchy.” We have our own, a distinct, Canadian monarchy – we have since the 1930s.
Secondly, and as a result, Canada does not have a “British King” for its head of state. We have a Canadian King as our head of state. Charles has Canadian citizenship, and is a Canadian through and through, visiting here dozens of times.
And thirdly, Canada is a Kingdom. A constitutional monarchy – founded on the British Westminster system, with the Prime Minister as the head of the Government (laws) and the King is the head of State (authority and dignity).
So, with those qualifiers and nuances out of the way, I really want to implore my fellow Canadians that to dump this treasure would be horrific.
Everything about Canada is inextricably tied with not just the monarchy as it is today, but with the institution itself. Since well before Confederation. The First Nations that lived here long before any white man showed up lived in tribes, headed by chiefs.
Then when the French came, they brought with them their own Kings. And of course, the British after that. The blood of Canada is kingly (and even more so queenly).
Our entire system of laws and traditions is built upon the foundation of the British system. All of it coming from the seal of the King (or Queen).
The names of nearly everything in Canada are French, Indigenous or British. Roads, highways, airports, theatres, universities, parks, rivers, islands, provinces, countless buildings, I could go on – all named after our current or past monarchs. Current or past members of the royal family. Current or past members of the civilizations that gave birth to ours.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian legion, etc. It is the King that our armed forces swear allegiance to, not the Prime Minister (thank heavens).
Our holidays, like Canada Day – Dominion Day as it ought to be still called – was the day that Canada, with the help of the British who helped build this nation, gave us birth in 1867. Under the consent of Queen Victoria, known as the Mother of Confederation. The May 24 weekend is held in her honour.
All our currency bears familiar images: the beaver, the caribou, the Bluenose. But on the reverse side – since well before 1867, it has borne the image of a monarch. Very soon, it will feature King Charles’ image. Our Canadian King. Imagine the people our politicians would slap on our coins given the chance.
The Monarchy stands apart from, and above, politics. The King is the person to whom we can all toast and cheer, bugger the Prime Minister whomever he may be. It is a living, physical incarnation of the nation and all our laws and traditions. A living embodiment of all of us.
Unlike having a piece of paper, or an idea as our unifying ideal – we have a person, a family. With blood in their veins. That we can talk to, shake the hand of, stick a crown on. A book, a piece of paper, an idea can’t love you. It can’t hope, or hurt, or serve.
Monarchy was not invented by some intellectual in a lab, or a university class. It is ancient, full of a deep wisdom that speaks to a truth.
Politicians grasp at fleeting power, while His Majesty is carrying thousands of years of authority, tradition, law within him.
One of the only things all humans have in common is the accident of each of our birth – and it seems fitting that we select the person to lead us based on such a universal trait.
While nations all around the world trade presidents, constitutions, and politicians like children trade hockey cards – Canada’s monarchy stands a near permanent fixture among the chaos. Safeguarding our rights as best as it can.
King Charles has promised to give us all of the rest of his life to our service. To love us. And he means it, utterly and completely. Could one say the same about any politician? About any other kind of celebrity?
If we cut ourselves off from our monarchical system, we will cut ourselves off from our history. From everything that makes Canada, Canada. The blood of who we are would cease to flow. Replaced by some system that was cooked up in a modern university somewhere. Does anyone truly think that would be better for us? Look at their most recent destruction of the Canadian passport for all the proof you need that we should keep what we have.
We should wholly and completely resist republican sentiment in this country. And even more so, politicians who attempt to place the crown on their head.
In the words of the famous author C.S. Lewis: “Where men are forbidden to honour a king they honour millionaires, athletes, or film-stars instead: even famous prostitutes or gangsters. For spiritual nature, like bodily nature, will be served; deny it food and it will gobble poison.”
