Category: NDP

NDP Leadership Candidates and the Monarchy: Charlie Angus

5/4/2017

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

NDP Leadership Candidates and the Monarchy: Peter Julian

3/17/2017

As I did with the Conservative Party I
will be examining the views of the NDP
leadership candidates in regards to the
monarchy. The NDP has not always had the
most stellar record on this file. Which is
unfortunate as notable Dippers such as
Jack Layton, Michael Valpy, Peter Stoffer,
and Eugene Alfred Forsey (CCF) have
espoused support for the monarchy. First
up is Peter Julian.

"I had a brief opportunity a few days ago to sit down with Peter when he was in
town. On the monarchy he does not feel strongly one way or the other. He thought
a referendum on the issue might be appropriate but frankly it is not a priority for
him." ~Bob Ages, Peter Julian Campaign

Let us start with the good: Mr. Julian does not feel addressing
the issue is a priority. On the other hand he might support a
highly divisive referendum on the issue. On the other, other
hand since he doesn't feel strongly one way or the other
perhaps talking to Mr. Julian about our monarchy could yield
some positive results.

I decided then to check if Mr. Julian has spoken about the
monarchy in Parliament. As before I am making use of
openparliament.ca to access the parliamentary debate
records. Not surprisingly I found little mention of Canada's
monarchy.

I decided to go a bit further in this case due to Mr. Julian
setting up a section of his website where Canadians can
propose policies. I took the opportunity to call on Peter Julian
to vocally support Canada's monarchy. It details the
reasons why he should do so as well. Thus far the response
has been better than expected and I hope a positive trend in
favour of monarchy will both get Peter Julian's attention and
the attention of the other candidates.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Party Leadership Conventions Present Opportunity to Assess Views

4/11/2016

Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper

As of today two federal political
parties are in search of new
leaders. Stephen Harper of the
Conservative Party resigned after
his party's defeat in October. On
the other side of the political
spectrum Tom Mulcair was not
able to secure the support to
stay on as leader during a vote
held last night. Leadership races
present an opportunity to assess
where a party stands on any
number of issues.

Tom Mulcair

And one of those issues is the
monarchy. I have done such
assessments of Liberal, NDP, and
other parties before. However,
this will be the first time assessing
the views of Conservative Party
leadership candidates. This is
important due to the Conservative
Party's strong support for the
monarchy over the last ten years.
An indication that this strong
support is likely to continue into
the future would be a welcome
sign. Finding out the NDP's views
is important for a different reason.

The Late Jack Layton

While Tom Mulcair never made
his views on the monarchy clear,
his party has gone back and forth
on the issue. Only in the Green
Party have I found less support for
the monarchy (the lovely Elizabeth
May is a notable exception). The
issue of possibly getting rid of the
monarchy has come up from time
to time. In fact Nathan Cullen, a
candidate to replace Jack Layton
being a recent example. Jack
Layton, The NDP's previous (and
arguably greatest) leader, firmly
supported the monarchy:

"Some people think the NDP may want to get rid of the
monarchy but I can assure you that that's absolutely not the
case. My Dad was a big time monarchist and so am I."

So with two leadership elections coming up I plan to contact
every candidate to determine where they stand on this
important Canadian institution. So far I have contacted the
two declared Conservative candidates (Maxime Bernier &
Kellie Leitch) and await replies.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Canadian Federal Parties Reveal Stances on the Monarchy

9/28/2015

The Monarchist League of Canada has contacted each of the
four main federal parties to find out their stances on Canada's
monarchy. The question asked was:
"Do <leader's name> and the <party name> support the
continuance of the constitutional monarchy as Canada's
form of governance?"

All four parties replied. The following are the party's
responses listed in alphabetical order.

Conservative Party

"Canada's system of government, one of the most stable and enduring democracies
in the world, is rooted in constitutional monarchy and the institution of the
Canadian Crown.

For over six decades, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has been steadfast and selfless
in her service to Canada and the Commonwealth. This year we marked yet another
milestone when, on September 8, 2015, Her Majesty surpassed the reign of her
great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria (1837-1901) to become the longest
reigning monarch of the modern era. In the entire history of Canada, it is a reign
surpassed only by King Louis XIV (1643-1715).

Our Conservative government is proud to celebrate Canada's history, our traditions
and institutions, and the values we hold dear as Canadians. As we look forward to
the celebration of the 150th anniversary of our Confederation and beyond, the
unique institution of the Canadian Crown will continue to be a central feature of
our parliamentary democracy."

Green Party

"On behalf of Elizabeth May, I would like to share Ms. May's speech in the House of Commons, on the occasion of the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Reign of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II: Link"

Liberal Party

"Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch in Canadian history and
remains a beloved figure for many Canadians. Over the past 63 years, she has
stood with Canada through key moments of our country's history and, as our
nation underwent change and transformation, has been a rock of stability and a
steadfast keeper of tradition. The Liberal Party has no intention of re-opening the
Canadian constitution on this issue. Her Majesty will remain an integral part of our
country's evolution, progress, and future."

New Democratic Party

"The NDP is not planning any changes to our current form of the parliamentary
system. Our focus is on meeting the challenges of middle-class families for better
jobs, affordable childcare and reliable healthcare."

While getting answers from the parties was nice I would have
preferred a bit more 'meat'. Ian McKechnie of the Young
Monarchists came up with some questions in June that
would have been far more informative. But I can understand
that if the questions were too specific no answers might have
been forthcoming. I do have a problem with the New
Democrat's response since its false. The New Democrats have
stated they wish to abolish the Senate which is a change to
our parliamentary system. Their response also doesn't even
mention the monarchy. In short it is a rather weak response.

A big thank you to the Monarchist League of Canada for going
through the trouble of wrangling the responses.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Mailbox Cleanout

11/29/2014

I perhaps contact elected representatives with policy questions more than the average Canadian. Sometimes I include a question about Canada's monarchy. Mostly this is out of personal curiosity (I have only been in a position to vote for a couple of the people below).

It is funny (to me at least) how few policy inquiries actually get responded to. Mostly this is due how busy the candidate is although I did talk to one politician who didn't answer any inquires on the principle that they would not be able to answer every person in the riding if they were to send questions in (try and get your head around that one).

Below are the responses I've received to questions relating to the monarchy. Still aren't as facepalm-worthy as their answers about intellectual property though...

2012 NDP Leadership Race

"My own view is that it should be up to Canadians to have their say in the monarchy's role in a 21st Century Canada, and I would be supportive of a plebiscite to see whether people would like reform. Other countries in the Commonwealth are discussing similar questions, in preparation a change in the head of state at the end of the Queen's long reign. This is a question, however, that citizens, not politicians, should decide."
~Nathan Cullen

"Please know that Peggy has not made any statements on the monarchy. Given that the NDP does not have specific party policy on the monarchy, any decision made by Peggy on this matter would involve consultation with caucus and the membership."
~Etana, Peggy Nash Leadership Campaign 2012

2013 Liberal Leadership Race

"In response to the second part of your question, the monarchy is not the unifying symbol it once was, and it does nothing to help us overcome the fundamental unity problems this country faces. Clearly, it is also unable to serve its stated function of defending the institutions of parliamentary democracy. I support eventually establishing a Canadian head of state with democratic legitimacy. However, constitutional change of this magnitude can only be accomplished after a referendum. It also requires a renewed treaty process with First Nations, to ensure that the move is not unilateral and treaty and Aboriginal rights are not affected."
~Deborah Coyne

"With regards to your second question: Mr. Garneau's position is that Canadians support the monarchy and the Liberal Party of Canada voted down a resolution to study the role of the monarchy in 2012. Mr. Garneau does not plan to make an issue of it."
~Jean Proulx, Parliamentary Assistant to Mr. Garneau

"I support the concept of merit, versus blood-lines, and in that regard, I'd be happy to have Canada become completely independent from Britain. But to be honest, it's not one of the most important questions facing Canada right now so I'm not going to push too hard on this one."
~Martha Hall Findlay

"At the 2012 Liberal Party Convention, delegates were invited to introduce, debate, and vote on Liberal policy. Delegates explicitly rejected a motion to include severing Canada's ties with the monarchy as part of Liberal policy. My view is that severing our centuries-old connection to the monarchy is not a decision to be made lightly. The monarchy remains a cornerstone of Canada's foundation, and any debate surrounding changes to this institution must include as many Canadians as possible in the discussion."
~Justin Trudeau, Leader of the Liberal Party

2014 New Brunswick Election

"The monarchy has been a subject of debate in Canada for some time. Personally, I view the monarchy as a heritage & tradition of Canada with little to no real substantive value other than that."
~Kris Austin, Leader of the PANB

"My personal views on the Monarchy are that they are an extremely wealthy and powerful group of elites who own an extreme amount of land and holdings via the crown corporation. People need to be educated about them and our countries foundation, parliamentary system, military, navy, and rcmp so that Canada and it's citizen's could move towards actual sovereignty (and a great many other subjects)."
~Ira Wilbur, Green Party candidate for the riding of Albert

"I am not a fan of paying for royals trips to canada, but that said I believe in tradition and my family has supported the monarchy for a long time. I have a hard time accepting anyone receiveing an all expenses paid lifestyle, however, I like Canada being a part of the Comomonwealth. It's part of who we are and one of a number of things that helps distinguish us from the Americans."
~Bill Brewer, PANB candidate forthe riding of Albert

2014 Yellowhead By-election

"I believe in the Monarchy and its representation to Canada."
~Jim Eglinski, Conservative Party candidate

"I don't see any reason for the monarchy aside from nostalgia."
~Cory Lystang, Libertarian Party candidate

"I used to be nostalgic and liked the Monarchy... I enjoy that we retain a loose commonwealth... However, I see a need for reduction in the pomp.. and a greater respect for the people.. I like that here is an ultimate representative for the commonwealth that if necessary could depose a leader, such as the Gov General is able to do... it allows a whole other international level of consultation.. that looks to all voices.. or at least in theory should. Ultimately I like Democracy, and checks and balances for it... how does this all relate to your question.. I always like o have a higher and more experienced authority.. As I see it, the royals are ther to remind us of higher ideals, they too in our times.. have become conduits, representatives of the people.. instead of dictating, they merely look to pass around the Conch.. or in other words the speaking staff... i hope this all makes sense..."
~Dean Williams, Independent candidate

Others

"I still believe that the Monarchy is un-democratic institution of power because it is not elected. Even the Pope goes through some sort of election process. The sovereigns don't. While I believe that, I thing there are too many divisive issues out there as it is, and I'd rather focus on resolving differences on more pressing matters. This issue can be 'parked' for now and revisited when our democracy is in better shape. Let's enact Proportional Representation first, for example, to prove to ourselves and the rest of the world that Canada is a democracy."
~Michael Nicula, Leader of the Party for Accountability, Competency and Transparency (PACT)

Conclusions

Overall, there isn't much positive in the responses I have received to date. The task of educating Canadians about their monarchy still remains great. The belief that the monarchy serves no practical purpose is perhaps the most prevalent misconception in need of confrontation. Several politicians also expressed a belief that dumping the monarchy is somehow a populous measure that will lead to a improved Canadian Government. This is demonstratively false and again shows just how limited education about our monarchy is.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Monarchist Profile: Michael Valpy

6/12/2014

Born in Toronto to a family Michael Valpy described as "strongly Tory monarchist British imperialist-quite right wing". Perhaps as a reaction to that Valpy's political views are consistently leftist. Remarkably (and it is sad I need to use that term) he maintained a strong belief in monarchy as the best fit for Canada.

Valpy started what was to be a long career in journalism in 1961 which only recently ended in 2012 with his retirement from the Globe and Mail. He used his position to expound upon the many positive aspects of retaining the monarchy and upbraided republicans for having unrealistic plans for establishing a republic. It would take awhile to go through all of his articles, stories, and opinion pieces on the monarchy so I'll let you do the leg work.

He famously described the monarch's constitutional role as being that of a "national fire extinguisher" by providing a source of non-partisan legitimacy in times of crisis.

In 2000 Valpy ran for Parliament in the riding of Trinity—Spadina under the NDP banner. Sadly, he didn't win. It would be nice for there to be a monarchist on the Dipper's bench to educate misinformed MPs such as Pat Martin and Nathan Cullen. Perhaps more importantly it would show the party membership that being a socialist and a monarchist are not incompatible beliefs and that there is no reason to hide that you are one. That is an entire article by itself though.

While retired Michael Valpy still writes articles on a freelance basis. He has been a steadfast champion of the monarchy in his writings and we could use more journalists like him.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

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