Monarchist Profile: Elsie Wayne

On Saturday the body of Elsie Wayne was
laid to rest. During her life she served as
Mayor of Saint John and later as Member
of Parliament representing the same city.
Like many Maritimers Elsie Wayne was
fiercely proud of her community and her
country. She was also a strong monarchist
and a vocal one at that. In tribute to this
great lady I would like to take a look back
​at some of her statements in Parliament. 

---

"I heard the hon. member from the NDP say how sorry he was that we were
referring to the monarchy. I am so pleased and proud that the monarchy is still part
of our citizenship oath. I represent Canada's first city to be incorporated by royal
charter. We and our people played a major role in building all of this country. We
date back to 1783. There are those who say they want to eliminate our ties to the
monarchy. I cannot believe that the people who say that sit in the House of
Commons."
~Debate on Citizenship of Canada Act, February 3rd, 1999

Elsie Wayne often made reference to the fact Saint John was
the first city incorporated by royal charter. It was a particular
point of pride that she had had the chance to represent her
​city of Saint John. 

"Mr. Speaker, for 40 years Canada has shared with Australia and New Zealand in
seconding a public servant to serve in Her Royal Majesty's press office at
Buckingham Palace. It is once again Canada's turn. However, the Prime Minister
has unilaterally refused to send a representative. I was told today by the London
press that the PMO's press officer said they knew nothing about the monarchy or
any ties. My question is for the Prime Minister. Is he denouncing Canada's ties with
the monarchy? Will he reconsider his position and second a public servant to
continue this important longstanding tradition?"
~Question Period, March 18th, 1998

Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s there was a slow
degradation of royal symbols and traditions. This process of
erosion has become known as 'republicanism by stealth'. To
carry this process out successfully it helps if no one bothers to
point it out. Elsie Wayne was not one to let even the smallest
thing slide. She would ask similar questions of the
​government. I believe that this helped make 'republicanism by
stealth' much harder for the government. It certainly annoyed
them. After the above question was asked Prime Minister
Jean Chretien remarked that if Elsie Wayne wanted to go he
would be happy to send her!

Elsie Wayne had far less patience for those who openly
expressed republican sympathies.

"Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister is scheduled to be the official escort to Her
Majesty the Queen when her royal tour brings her to the nation's capital, this
notwithstanding that on Friday last he told reporters in Montreal that he favours
severing all ties with the monarchy after the Queen's reign ends. By my count, the
Deputy Prime Minister has sworn an oath of loyalty and service to Her Majesty no
fewer than four times in the last two years, yet he has used his position as a
minister of the Crown as a podium from which to rail against our history and our
heritage. The minister says that instead of the monarchy he would prefer an
entirely Canadian institution, but he fails to recognize that the monarchy is as
Canadian as the House of Commons itself. I pray that the Deputy Prime Minister
will apologize to the Queen when he hosts her. In fact, he should go to the Prime
Minister and say that he should not be her host and that the Prime Minister should
put someone else in his position when the Queen comes to Ottawa."
~Statements by Members, October 8th, 2002

It is my profound wish that the politicians we have today
would be granted a double share of Elsie Wayne's passion for
our monarchy.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour