Blog Archives

The Monarchist League on Facebook

5/31/2017

Ironically, for all the talk of the internet isolating people it
also has great usefulness in bringing people together. The
Monarchist League of Canada has various social media
accounts, of course, but some may not know that the
League's many branches maintain at least a Facebook
presence. I have taken the time to list them below:

New Brunswick
Facebook
Twitter

Halifax - SW Nova Scotia
Facebook

Northumberland and NE Nova Scotia

Quebec
Facebook

Ottawa - Ontario
Facebook

Barrie-Huronia - Ontario
Facebook

University of Toronto - Ontario
Facebook

Waterloo-Wellington - Ontario
Facebook

South Saskatchewan
Facebook
Twitter

Lethbridge and Medicine Hat - Alberta
Facebook

Victoria - British Columbia
Facebook

I find it encouraging that most of these pages have a healthy
number of members and are active. Even better, each page
has avoided that common pitfall of redundancy. They all have
a little bit of individuality to what is posted rather than being carbon copies of the League's main page.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

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Victoria Day Odds & Ends

5/22/2017

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Queen Victoria at four years of age

Happy Victoria Day!

There is a few items I wanted to
cover this Victoria Day. The
Monarchist League of Canada
sent out an email on May 11th
with ideas for how to celebrate
Victoria Day with friends and
family. It is a good list. Myself,
I have the last two years treated
my coworkers to birthday cake.
It's a good way to inform people
that Victoria Day is also the
reigning monarch's birthday.

Former MP Brian Murphy took the occasion to write a mostly
positive tribute to the monarchy in the Times & Transcript on
Friday. I had a few small issues with the piece and will be
writing a reply but overall it was a welcome surprise.

On the subject of the media: I have noticed a certain tendency
towards using 'May Long Weekend' rather than referring to
Victoria Day itself. I'm inclined to believe this is one of those
time-saving measures used by the media rather than any sort
of effort to downplay Victoria Day.

Conservative Party Leadership Candidate Chris Alexander
sent out an email today. I have copied it below:

"Today we celebrate free institutions & the stability of monarchs.

Since Louis XIII (pictured below), the reigns of just six of them (including Louis XIV,
George III & Queen Victoria) account for almost three & a half centuries of
Canadian history. In Québec, today is the 'Journée nationale des patriotes' --
celebrating the struggle for national recognition, political freedoms & democracy.

All achieved under the Crown of Canada.

It's time to recognize the crown's role in our lives by:
- holding a coronation of our next monarch in Canada; &
- styling our country the Kingdom of Canada.

Without constitutional amendment, upheaval or drama.
With pomp, dignity & ceremony. For love of country.
To show what we're becoming -- our history & our potential.
These ideas for renewing the Crown of Canada are here.

Happy Victoria Day!"

The policy on having a Canadian coronation is one he told me
about when I met him at a candidates debate in Moncton. The
policy on styling Canada as a 'kingdom' is new to me though.

Finally, the month of May marks the 3rd anniversary of this
blog's founding. Hard to believe its been three years already.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

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NDP Leadership Candidates and the Monarchy: Pat Stogran

5/10/2017

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Pat Stogran is the third candidate to
reply to my inquiry on his views about
the monarchy. The reply came through
Facebook and I am reasonably sure the
reply came directly from the candidate
and not a staffer. Mr. Stogran is the
first of the NDP Leadership Candidates
to give a reply that can be seen as
being positive about the monarchy:

"Monarchy, a nice tradition of historical and cultural significance in our
institutions."

Mr. Stogran has not held public office but has appeared
before parliamentary committees. I did not find anything in
the Hansard. I did find an article written by Mr. Stogran in
the online magazine espritdecorps. While going over the
technical and historical aspects of declaring war he touches
upon the monarchy:

"Under the Westminster style of government, the power to formally declare war
evolved from the prerogative of the Crown to do so on the recommendation of the
duly elected Cabinet. The Royal Prerogative was vested to the Government of
Canada in the Statute of Westminster in 1931, which effectively made Canada and
other countries in the Dominion sovereign, independent nations. Canada
subsequently exercised its authority to declare war as we entered the Second World
War, although it was arguably more of a symbolic gesture that masked our
tradition of subservience to the monarchy. If we set aside the lingering redundancy
of the monarchy as it pertains to Canada for the moment, to “declare war” in our
bastardized-Westminster-come-ad-hoc-presidentialized system of government, the
prime minister needs only to decree it so. In other words, the only legal requirement
for Canada to be “at war” in Iraq or anywhere else is for Cabinet to cut an Order-in-
Council to that effect and post it in TheGazette."

Overall, not bad. If any of my readers can find additional
statements by Mr. Stogran concerning the monarchy please
let me know.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

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NDP Leadership Candidates and the Monarchy: Charlie Angus

5/4/2017

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Charlie Angus has taken the time to reply to
my inquiry on the monarchy. I've polled Mr.
Angus on other issues in the past but, to my
surprise, not the monarchy. The question as
in the past is thus: What are your views on
the monarchy? Mr. Angus answered my
question through his Facebook. Given
recent events I am less than thrilled about
this fact. But, regardless, here is his reply:

"I don't support the monarchy but it's not a big issue for me either way."

In saying that the monarchy isn't a big issue for him his
response is similar to that of Peter Julian. However, Mr.
Angus is more open about not supporting the monarchy. On
the other hand he doesn't say he thought a referendum on the
monarchy would be a good idea, which Peter Julian did.
Overall, the two responses are roughly equivalent.

As always I checked the Hansard to see what the candidate
has had to say about the monarchy. I did find a comment
from a debate in 2014:

"Mr. Speaker, I take my work very seriously in the House. I am shocked that as I do
my work, I get some drive-by smear about something to do with kings and the
Treasury Board. I have not ever spoken on kings. I have a lot of opinions on the
uselessness of the historic monarchy, but I do not know why I am being subjected to
this smear."

I couldn't find any public statements on the monarchy. But it
is also true those comments are often made to individuals and
not searchable by Google.

I'd like to say I am surprised by Mr. Angus' stance on this
issue but I am not. Perhaps stronger support for Canada's
monarchy will be found among the other leadership
candidates. And of course if you happen to meet Mr. Angus
make sure you let him know the monarchy is important to
you.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

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Prince Philip Retiring From Active Duty

5/4/2017

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Hillsborough Castle, 2015

It has been announced today that Prince
Philip will not be carrying out active
engagements from the autumn of this
year. At nearly 96 years of age, and after
a lifetime of service, it is a well-deserved
rest. While Prince Philip will not be
carrying out engagements I suspect we
will still find him at the Queen's side as
he always has been. The announcement
notice from the Palace is below. I would
like to wish Prince Philip all the best in
his retirement.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

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The Monarchist League on Facebook

Victoria Day Odds & Ends

NDP Leadership Candidates and the Monarchy: Pat Stogran

NDP Leadership Candidates and the Monarchy: Charlie Angus

Prince Philip Retiring From Active Duty

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