Blog Archives

Happy Victoria Day

5/23/2022

A redditor was kind enough to share a video of the fireworks
display put on yesterday evening at Dow's Lake, Ottawa.

As per personal tradition I treated my coworkers to birthday
cake on Saturday (per company policy everyone must work
that day so no one misses out).

I hope everyone has a great Victoria Day (whatever the
weather).

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Her Majesty Anne II, Queen of Canada?

5/23/2022

Anne, The Princess Royal

There are sometimes calls for the
royal succession to skip the Prince of
Wales and for the throne to go directly
to Prince William. This has a great
deal to do with the continuing, and
arguably unfair, low popularity of
Prince Charles. While the succession
should not be based on popularity
contests which do nothing but debase
the position of head of state, perhaps
it would be informative to look at an
alternate succession plan that has
sometimes come up: the succession of the Princess Royal to
the Throne of Canada.

Anne Who?

Princess Anne is a member of the Royal Family who tends to
fly a bit under the radar. She has visited Canada thirteen
times since 1990 (five more than Prince Charles) but most of
these have been working visits which don't draw the same
level of attention. She is often noted as being the hardest-
working royal. In this regard she shares a similar attitude
towards her royal duty as the Queen. And, unlike another son
of Her Majesty, Princess Anne has never been even remotely
involved in controversy.

Why Change?

Don't get me wrong, I think the idea of a shared head of state
is a beautiful thing in the modern world which increasingly
seems bent on embracing division and the worse sort of base
emotions. But alas, even among monarchists this view isn't
universal and amongst the general population the desire for a
'uniquely Canadian' head of state isn't a fringe opinion. So
what arguments can be made for the 'Anne Succession'?

#1 A Canadian Would Become Queen

The monarch, by virtue of their position, is Canadian. That is
not what I'm getting at. The Princess Royal has a son, Peter
Phillips, who married Autumn Kelly of Montreal. Their two
daughters, Savannah and Isla, are both Canadian citizens.
This is noteworthy because it would finally put a nail in the
tiresome republican argument that the Royal Family 'isn't
Canadian'.

#2 Abolishing The Monarchy Is Harder
To Do Than Altering The Succession

I am well aware that a major factor protecting the monarchy
in Canada is the requirement for unanimous agreement from
the federal government and every province to abolish the
monarchy (informally, you would also need a referendum).
While, still difficult changing the succession to the throne is
marginally easier. This is the outcome of the 2013 Succession
to the Throne Act and the related court challenges. Simply
put; Canada doesn't have a succession law. We have a simple
principle of 'symmetry' where the monarch of the UK is also
the monarch of Canada. Changing this principle requires the
use of the general amending formula (seven provinces that
contain 50% of the population of Canada). Why wasn't this
required for the Succession to the Throne Act in 2013? Well,
that act didn't go against the principle of symmetry, it merely
confirmed it. The constitutional issues are still a little
unsettled (this, by the way, is 100% Prime Minister Mackenzie
King's fault) but as it stands now it would be easier to change
the line of succession than to abolish the monarchy.

I'm sure this would still leave die-hard republicans unhappy
but then again I'm not looking to make them happy and if a
change to the line of succession peels off nationalist support
for their cause I'll consider that an absolute win.

#3 The Royal Family Would Live Here

This seems like an obvious point but it bears repeating. Due
to the distances involved and the need to be invited the Royal
Family does not perform as many duties here as in the UK.
That is a simple fact. Likewise, the position of governor
general has never really been able to live up to its potential
due to its occupants having a very short term that neither lets
them pursue long term projects nor allows them to acquire
the respect to be an effective counter (and source of advice) to
the prime minister weakening the position greatly. With the
new Canadian royal family living in Canada both of these
problems are alleviated. The status of lieutenant governors
under such a plan is hard to foresee. Strictly speaking they
would be unnecessary but the provinces/Royal Family may
wish to keep them to share the workload.

Would Princess Anne and Her Family
Even Go For This Idea?

This is not an easy question to answer. As I noted the Princess
Royal takes her role seriously and has displayed dedication to
her obligations. Yet, when the Queen offered to grant her
grandchildren titles Princess Anne refused since she felt it
would hinder their future career. This would seem to indicate
that Anne wanted her children to have the option to pursue
their own path. Her son Peter Phillips went on to be involved
in the private sector with little involvement in what would be
termed 'royal duties'. Still, he has made appearances with
other members of the Royal Family and when he married
some care was taken so that he wouldn't remove himself from
the line of succession.

Conclusion

It is an entertaining 'what if' to ponder but as I stated before it
is not an idea I support. In time Charles shall become king
and I suspect he will surprise more than a few people by not
making a mess of it.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Blog Update: New Contributor

5/17/2022

Earlier today the maiden article was posted by a new
contributor to this site. He has chosen Lord Ludichris as
his pen name and is a UK citizen. As an 'outsider looking in' it
is expected he will bring a unique perspective to articles on
the Canadian monarchy. He will also be supplying articles on
the wider Commonwealth from time to time. He has stated
an interest in possibly getting into journalism in the future
and we hope that the practice here can help him with that.

This is the first new contributor in seven years. On that note,
The Maple Monarchists turns eight this month. We will
have to rustle up some cake at some point.

Loyally Yours,
The Maple Monarchists

2022 Conservative Party Leadership Race: Views on the Monarchy

5/17/2022

This article is a collection of responses from candidates for
the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada regarding
the monarchy. It will continue to be updated as more replies
roll in.

I have again included a scoreboard for the candidates as well as a section for notable quotes.

Questions & Replies

The questions that were posed to the candidates are below.
The questions are largely the same as the last survey except
for the addition of question 5.

1. What are your views on the monarchy?
2. As prime minister would you make use of the Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal
Appointments that was active between 2010 and 2015?
3. In 2019 the government cancelled a program that mailed physical copies of the
Queen's portrait to any Canadian who asked free of charge. Would you restore this
program?
4. The government also removed the Queen's portrait from the lobby of the Foreign
Affairs Office and replaced it with paintings by Alfred Pallen. Would you find a
way to have both paintings and portrait share the ample wall space of the Foreign
Affairs Office lobby?
5. The current government has not committed to supporting the creation of a
Platinum Jubilee Medal to mark Her Majesty's 70th year on the throne. What are
your views on this?

Below are links to each candidate's reply and a short look at
any previous comments they may have made in regards to the
monarchy. Candidates who failed to qualify or withdrew are
included for historical reference.

Qualified to appear on the ballot
Pierre Poilievre
Leslyn Lewis
Jean Charest
Roman Baber
Patrick Brown
Scott Aitchison

No longer in the race
Leona Alleslev

Crown & Cap Scoreboard

Here I have ranked the candidates support for, or opposition
to, the monarchy. Keep in mind this is only my assessment
and your mileage may vary. Also, note that changes may occur
as the campaign goes on.

The crown score is out of five crowns with each candidate
receiving one crown for stating support for the monarchy
in their reply, one crown for having defended the monarchy
in Parliament, two crowns for outlining how they would
improve the monarchy's role in the future, and one crown for
having spoken in support of the monarchy outside of
Parliament.

The cap score is likewise out of five caps with one cap given to
a candidate for being opposed to the monarchy in their reply,
one cap for desiring a referendum on the monarchy, one cap
for opposing the monarchy in Parliament and two caps for
making the establishment of a Canadian republic a part of
their policy platform.

Leona Alleslev

Ms. Alleslev scored well on all points except
having spoken on the monarchy outside of
Parliament. Also, while she spoke of the
monarchy fairly often in Parliament she was
never in the position of having to defend the
institution.

Score:

Scott Aitchison

Mr. Aitchison missed out on a perfect score
only because he has never spoken about, let
alone defended, Canada's monarchy on the
floor of Parliament.

Score:

Jean Charest

Mr. Charest is interesting in that of all the
candidates he has had plenty of time to say
a lot about the monarchy but hasn't and his
score reflects this.

Score:

I would like to thank all of the candidates for getting back to
me. While I might disagree at times with the replies I receive
it is at least good to know that politicians still take the time
to reply to ordinary Canadians.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Conservative Leadership Candidates and the Monarchy: Jean Charest

5/17/2022

Just yesterday I received a reply from
Jean Charest to my survey of the tory
leadership candidates regarding their
views on the monarchy. Before getting
into the survey answers I will briefly go
over any statements Jean Charest has
made in Parliament or in the media. In
this case very briefly as I could not find
much. The only instance appears to be
a comment made during a previous
royal homecoming on how any protests
would not effect Quebec's image on the
world stage.

Jean Charest's replies to the survey are below:

1. What are your views on the monarchy?

"My position is consistent with the Party in maintaining our
ties with the Monarchy and retaining the Queen as a Head of
State. Constitutional questions involving the Monarchy are
not high priorities for Canadians with our current state of
the federation divided over issues like equalization and
resources."

2. As prime minister would you make use of the
Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments
that was active between 2010 and 2015?

"Yes."

3. In 2019 the government cancelled a program that
mailed physical copies of the Queen's portrait to any
Canadian who asked free of charge. Would you
restore this program?

"Yes."

4. The government also removed the Queen's portrait
from the lobby of the Foreign Affairs Office and
replaced it with paintings by Alfred Pallen. Would
you find a way to have both paintings and portrait
share the ample wall space of the Foreign Affairs
Office lobby?

"I would leave such a determination, as I would in any
individual department to the appropriate Minister. Should
each elect to post a portrait within their department such
issues would not pre-occupy me as Prime Minister nor
should they become national news."

5. The current government has not committed to
supporting the creation of a Platinum Jubilee Medal
to mark Her Majesty's 70th year on the throne. What
are your views on this?

"I believe Canada’s position should be consistent with the
Commonwealth in having one available. I received the
Golden Jubilee medal in 2002."

Jean Charest's positions would help fix damage done to the
institution over the last number of years but I am slightly
concerned over question #1. Being asked about what your
views on a topic and replying with party policy is a deflection.
Question #4 concerns me less as leaving ministers to handle
their own departments is a fair position to take.

Overall, I get the sense that Mr. Charest has an intellectual
appreciation for the monarchy but not a deep-seated love for
the institution.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Prince Charles, His Detractors, and the Future of the Monarchy

5/17/2022

Prince Charles

Prince Charles has been sometimes
criticised for the way he expresses his views
on matters of personal interest to him such
as environmental affairs. However, a
monarch being involved in political affairs
is hardly something that would doom a
constitutional monarchy. Charles’s image is
really bound-up with the drama of his two
marriages rather than his personality.

The politician from across the Commonwealth who has really
trash talked Charles the most, is perhaps Maxime Bernier, at
least in recent times. Bernier in his days as a cabinet minister
never revealed any republican sentiment but as the
momentum of his right-wing populist movement has grown,
he has become more vocal over the issue. At this point,
Maxime is unlikely to return to Ottawa anyway even if the
PPC vote does increase by a large margin, but, this still could
put pressure on the Tories.

The monarchy in Canada has actually proven to be a pretty
resilient thing however controversial it may be. This might be
attributed to the Monarchist League of Canada having been
able to stay focused on presenting the argument for monarchy
in a non-partisan way and working to maintain a degree of
influence, to the extent of perhaps having the chairman sit
next to the leader of the opposition at a state dinner, or having
the deputy prime minister attend one of their events.

But the biggest threat to the monarchy in Canada is the
perception of Prince Charles being political. However, the
monarchy’s European counterparts show that this does not
need to be so. The other monarchies in Europe appear to
generally be suffering less controversy than that of the House
of Windsor despite being perceived as being more political. It
is also important to remember that whilst the financing of the
monarchy in the UK is part of the debate, Canada does not
send a single penny to Buckingham Palace. It would be
difficult for any politician like Bernier to use “taxpayers
money” as ammunition against it.

It feels pretty unrealistic that there will be any real appetite to
skip Charles, even if we had the option. It is important to
remember that constitutional monarchy can be refereed by
the public fairly easily. The royal houses have proved to be
highly sensitive to public opinion. In the UK this was
famously the case with Edward VIII’s controversial choice of
wife but more recently in Spain when their king was
humiliated into abdication by his own scandals. Spain appears
to be the only other European monarchy to be suffering the
same level of crisis in public image as the UK has. Despite
what tabloids like to shake up in the English speaking world,
such a “royal crisis” appears to be bigger in Spain than it is in
the UK, to the extent that quite a few mainstream Spanish
politicians have actually advocated a republic in contrast to
the very small number of British republicans in Westminster
and even smaller number of them who actually have tried to
campaign for a republic. Charles doesn’t face the same
pressure as Juan Carlos did.

People have at times raised an eyebrow over Prince Charles
(and his sons) acting ‘woke’. But Dutch royalty has been able
to work pretty well with ‘wokeness’, advocating LGBT,
immigration, environmental affairs, and other such things
related to social justice. This does frustrate some
conservatives but not to the extent of fanning republican
sentiment. The widespread support for the royalty continues
to be preserved.

Prince Charles speaking at COP21

With the more recent generation of royals, marrying
commoners has become increasingly natural. The Nordic
royals have been doing this for some time now but even in the
very conservative Japan it’s now been accepted. Charles’ wife
Camilla has not used the title “Princess of Wales” but this
reflects the sensitivity related to Diana. There shouldn’t be
any similar reason why Camila won’t be Queen consort.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s behaviour is hardly doing
the monarchy any favours but their antics do not appear to be
damaging Charles specifically.

Many heirs to the thrones have faced skepticism during their
early royal careers both before and after ascending to the
throne. But the best news for Prince Charles is that his public
image has improved no doubt as a result of his own efforts to
downplay his more controversial interests . People are already
forgetting about the bizarre portrayals of him of the past and
are starting to view him as a benign figurehead. A few in the
UK have proposed becoming a copycat Republic of Ireland
but Charles alone does more public engagements than the
Irish President despite Charles not being the Head of State.
He is just that committed.

With Prince Charles filling in for the Queen more than ever
due to concerns over her health, for example stepping in for
the Queen at the recent state opening of Parliament, some
people have felt the need to stir up debate over his position
but, it seems this has been received very favourably by the
British public. The British public likes what they are seeing
and respect for Charles is growing at the right time.

Loyally Yours,
Lord Ludichris

Happy Victoria Day

Her Majesty Anne II, Queen of Canada?

Anne Who?

Why Change?

#1 A Canadian Would Become Queen

#2 Abolishing The Monarchy Is Harder
To Do Than Altering The Succession

#3 The Royal Family Would Live Here

Would Princess Anne and Her Family
Even Go For This Idea?

Conclusion

Blog Update: New Contributor

2022 Conservative Party Leadership Race: Views on the Monarchy

Questions & Replies

Crown & Cap Scoreboard

Conservative Leadership Candidates and the Monarchy: Jean Charest

Prince Charles, His Detractors, and the Future of the Monarchy

About

Archives

Categories

Happy Victoria Day

Her Majesty Anne II, Queen of Canada?

Anne Who?

Why Change?

#1 A Canadian Would Become Queen

#2 Abolishing The Monarchy Is Harder​To Do Than Altering The Succession

#3 The Royal Family Would Live Here

Would Princess Anne and Her Family Even Go For This Idea?

Conclusion

Blog Update: New Contributor

2022 Conservative Party Leadership Race: Views on the Monarchy

Questions & Replies

Crown & Cap Scoreboard

Conservative Leadership Candidates and the Monarchy: Jean Charest

Prince Charles, His Detractors, and the Future of the Monarchy

About

Archives

Categories

#2 Abolishing The Monarchy Is Harder
To Do Than Altering The Succession

Would Princess Anne and Her Family
Even Go For This Idea?