King Charles and Pope Leo defend US Constitution from Trump
When King Charles – in his capacity as King of Canada – opened the new parliament in Ottawa last Tuesday, the symbolism could not have been more powerful, or the King's purpose more clear. While it is not unprecedented for the sovereign to open a new parliament in one of the Commonwealth nations of which they are head of state, it is seldom done. (It last took place in Australia in 1977.)
It had not happened in Canada since 1957. When the Queen opened parliament then, it was an occasion of ceremonial significance only. Then-US president Dwight Eisenhower was not threatening to 'annex' Canada as the 51st state of the US, nor had he launched a trade war with the deliberate intention of severely damaging the economy of America's closest ally.
Last week's proceedings, though attended by the customary pomp and circumstance, were not about ceremony. Although the King's words might not have been provocative in ordinary times, because of the events of recent months, they were crafted with unmistakable meaning and deliberate intent. Recalling the shared sacrifices of two world wars, the existential struggle of the Cold War and the war on terror, he said: 'Today, Canada faces another critical moment. Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the government is determined to protect … As the anthem reminds us: 'the True North is strong and free!''
It was the most politically pointed speech given by a British monarch in the modern age – a reprimand to the president who did not mince words: keep your hands off my realm! No prime minister could have delivered that message so effectively. It did not come just from a politician; it came from a king. A real king, not a vainglorious tabloid celebrity with delusions of grandeur, like the person to whom it was directed.
King Charles' speech came just two weeks after another historic event: the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.
Unlike the modern monarchy, the Vatican has not avoided engaging actively, if circumspectly, in high politics. There is no better recent example than the pontificate of John Paul II, the importance of whose discreet but purposeful support for the democratic revolution of the 1980s in his native Poland is increasingly being appreciated by historians. It may have been Reagan and Thatcher who brought communism down, but John Paul II played an important role as well.
Loading
I remember, as a student, travelling through Poland in the summer of 1982. As the regime began to totter, the despised dictator General Wojciech Jaruzelski imposed martial law. Fearful people converged upon parish churches, which became centres of resistance and mobilisation. (Poland was still the most Catholic country in Europe.) The co-operation of the Polish church with the revolutionary Solidarity movement had the firm support of the former archbishop of Krakow.
It is too soon to know how politically engaged the new Pope will be. His choice of papal name – in homage to Leo XIII, who, in the encyclical Rerum Novarum, famously defended the rights of workers and organised labour – has been widely interpreted as a revealing gesture. When he was still Cardinal Prevost, he did not hesitate to use social media to criticise US President Donald Trump's mass deportation of migrants – most of them from South America. As the first North American pope, his potential influence in his homeland could be immense, should he choose to use it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
HK activist charged under China-imposed security law
Hong Kong authorities have once again arrested pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong and charged him with conspiracy to collude with a foreign country under a Beijing-imposed national security law. Wong, 28, was originally set to be released in January 2027 from a 56-month jail sentence he is serving under the same law for conspiracy to commit subversion after he participated in an unofficial primary election. Taken to the West Kowloon magistrates' courts, Wong faced a new charge of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. The former student pro-democracy activist, who wore a blue shirt and appeared noticeably thinner than before, replied, "Understand," when the clerk read out the charge and details of the offence. Wong did not apply for bail, and the case was adjourned to August 8. Before returning to custody, he waved, shrugged, and shook his head in the direction of the public gallery. In a statement, Hong Kong's national security police said they had arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of the offence, as well as for "dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence". A charge sheet seen by Reuters accuses Wong of having conspired with exiled activist Nathan Law and others to ask foreign countries, institutions, organisations, or individuals outside China to impose sanctions or blockades. Such actions against Hong Kong or China, along with other hostile activities targeting them, took place in 2020, between July 1 and November 23, it added. The National Security Law, which punishes offences such as acts of subversion, collusion with foreign forces, and terrorism, with terms of up to life in jail, was imposed by Beijing on the former British colony in 2020. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the law is necessary to restore stability following anti-government protests in 2019. But some Western governments have criticised it as being used to suppress free speech and dissent. Hong Kong authorities have once again arrested pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong and charged him with conspiracy to collude with a foreign country under a Beijing-imposed national security law. Wong, 28, was originally set to be released in January 2027 from a 56-month jail sentence he is serving under the same law for conspiracy to commit subversion after he participated in an unofficial primary election. Taken to the West Kowloon magistrates' courts, Wong faced a new charge of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. The former student pro-democracy activist, who wore a blue shirt and appeared noticeably thinner than before, replied, "Understand," when the clerk read out the charge and details of the offence. Wong did not apply for bail, and the case was adjourned to August 8. Before returning to custody, he waved, shrugged, and shook his head in the direction of the public gallery. In a statement, Hong Kong's national security police said they had arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of the offence, as well as for "dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence". A charge sheet seen by Reuters accuses Wong of having conspired with exiled activist Nathan Law and others to ask foreign countries, institutions, organisations, or individuals outside China to impose sanctions or blockades. Such actions against Hong Kong or China, along with other hostile activities targeting them, took place in 2020, between July 1 and November 23, it added. The National Security Law, which punishes offences such as acts of subversion, collusion with foreign forces, and terrorism, with terms of up to life in jail, was imposed by Beijing on the former British colony in 2020. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the law is necessary to restore stability following anti-government protests in 2019. But some Western governments have criticised it as being used to suppress free speech and dissent. Hong Kong authorities have once again arrested pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong and charged him with conspiracy to collude with a foreign country under a Beijing-imposed national security law. Wong, 28, was originally set to be released in January 2027 from a 56-month jail sentence he is serving under the same law for conspiracy to commit subversion after he participated in an unofficial primary election. Taken to the West Kowloon magistrates' courts, Wong faced a new charge of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. The former student pro-democracy activist, who wore a blue shirt and appeared noticeably thinner than before, replied, "Understand," when the clerk read out the charge and details of the offence. Wong did not apply for bail, and the case was adjourned to August 8. Before returning to custody, he waved, shrugged, and shook his head in the direction of the public gallery. In a statement, Hong Kong's national security police said they had arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of the offence, as well as for "dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence". A charge sheet seen by Reuters accuses Wong of having conspired with exiled activist Nathan Law and others to ask foreign countries, institutions, organisations, or individuals outside China to impose sanctions or blockades. Such actions against Hong Kong or China, along with other hostile activities targeting them, took place in 2020, between July 1 and November 23, it added. The National Security Law, which punishes offences such as acts of subversion, collusion with foreign forces, and terrorism, with terms of up to life in jail, was imposed by Beijing on the former British colony in 2020. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the law is necessary to restore stability following anti-government protests in 2019. But some Western governments have criticised it as being used to suppress free speech and dissent. Hong Kong authorities have once again arrested pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong and charged him with conspiracy to collude with a foreign country under a Beijing-imposed national security law. Wong, 28, was originally set to be released in January 2027 from a 56-month jail sentence he is serving under the same law for conspiracy to commit subversion after he participated in an unofficial primary election. Taken to the West Kowloon magistrates' courts, Wong faced a new charge of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. The former student pro-democracy activist, who wore a blue shirt and appeared noticeably thinner than before, replied, "Understand," when the clerk read out the charge and details of the offence. Wong did not apply for bail, and the case was adjourned to August 8. Before returning to custody, he waved, shrugged, and shook his head in the direction of the public gallery. In a statement, Hong Kong's national security police said they had arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of the offence, as well as for "dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence". A charge sheet seen by Reuters accuses Wong of having conspired with exiled activist Nathan Law and others to ask foreign countries, institutions, organisations, or individuals outside China to impose sanctions or blockades. Such actions against Hong Kong or China, along with other hostile activities targeting them, took place in 2020, between July 1 and November 23, it added. The National Security Law, which punishes offences such as acts of subversion, collusion with foreign forces, and terrorism, with terms of up to life in jail, was imposed by Beijing on the former British colony in 2020. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the law is necessary to restore stability following anti-government protests in 2019. But some Western governments have criticised it as being used to suppress free speech and dissent.
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'In ruins': Russia sees dim prospects for nuclear pact
Russia sees little chance of saving its last nuclear accord with the United States, due to expire in eight months, given the "ruined" state of relations with Washington, its top arms control official says. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also told TASS news agency US President Donald Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defence project was a "deeply destabilising" factor creating formidable new obstacles to arms control. His comments were among Moscow's bleakest yet about the prospects for the New START agreement, the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between the two countries, which caps the number of strategic warheads that each side can deploy. President Vladimir Putin in 2023 suspended Russian participation in New START, blaming US support for Ukraine, although he said Moscow would remain within the treaty's limits on warheads, missiles and heavy bomber planes. But if the treaty is not extended or replaced after it expires on February 5 next year, security experts fear it could fuel a new arms race at a time of acute international tension over the conflict in Ukraine, which both Putin and Trump have said could lead to World War III. The Federation of American Scientists, an authoritative source on arms control, says if Russia decided to abandon the treaty limits, it could theoretically increase its deployed nuclear arsenal by up to 60 per cent by uploading hundreds of additional warheads. Ryabkov described Russia-US ties as "simply in ruins". "There are no grounds for a full-scale resumption of New START in the current circumstances. And given that the treaty ends its life cycle in about eight months, talking about the realism of such a scenario is increasingly losing its meaning," Ryabkov told TASS. "Of course, deeply destabilising program like the Golden Dome - and the US is implementing a number of them - create additional, hard-to-overcome obstacles to the constructive consideration of any potential initiatives in the field of nuclear missile arms control, when and if it comes to that." Trump said last month he had selected a design for the $US175-billion Golden Dome project, which aims to block threats from China and Russia by creating a network of satellites, perhaps numbering in the hundreds, to detect, track and potentially intercept incoming missiles. Ryabkov's comments came in the same week that Ukraine stunned Moscow by launching drone strikes on air bases deep inside Russia that house the heavy bomber planes that form part of its nuclear deterrent. Russia has said it will retaliate as and when its military sees fit. Russia sees little chance of saving its last nuclear accord with the United States, due to expire in eight months, given the "ruined" state of relations with Washington, its top arms control official says. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also told TASS news agency US President Donald Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defence project was a "deeply destabilising" factor creating formidable new obstacles to arms control. His comments were among Moscow's bleakest yet about the prospects for the New START agreement, the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between the two countries, which caps the number of strategic warheads that each side can deploy. President Vladimir Putin in 2023 suspended Russian participation in New START, blaming US support for Ukraine, although he said Moscow would remain within the treaty's limits on warheads, missiles and heavy bomber planes. But if the treaty is not extended or replaced after it expires on February 5 next year, security experts fear it could fuel a new arms race at a time of acute international tension over the conflict in Ukraine, which both Putin and Trump have said could lead to World War III. The Federation of American Scientists, an authoritative source on arms control, says if Russia decided to abandon the treaty limits, it could theoretically increase its deployed nuclear arsenal by up to 60 per cent by uploading hundreds of additional warheads. Ryabkov described Russia-US ties as "simply in ruins". "There are no grounds for a full-scale resumption of New START in the current circumstances. And given that the treaty ends its life cycle in about eight months, talking about the realism of such a scenario is increasingly losing its meaning," Ryabkov told TASS. "Of course, deeply destabilising program like the Golden Dome - and the US is implementing a number of them - create additional, hard-to-overcome obstacles to the constructive consideration of any potential initiatives in the field of nuclear missile arms control, when and if it comes to that." Trump said last month he had selected a design for the $US175-billion Golden Dome project, which aims to block threats from China and Russia by creating a network of satellites, perhaps numbering in the hundreds, to detect, track and potentially intercept incoming missiles. Ryabkov's comments came in the same week that Ukraine stunned Moscow by launching drone strikes on air bases deep inside Russia that house the heavy bomber planes that form part of its nuclear deterrent. Russia has said it will retaliate as and when its military sees fit. Russia sees little chance of saving its last nuclear accord with the United States, due to expire in eight months, given the "ruined" state of relations with Washington, its top arms control official says. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also told TASS news agency US President Donald Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defence project was a "deeply destabilising" factor creating formidable new obstacles to arms control. His comments were among Moscow's bleakest yet about the prospects for the New START agreement, the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between the two countries, which caps the number of strategic warheads that each side can deploy. President Vladimir Putin in 2023 suspended Russian participation in New START, blaming US support for Ukraine, although he said Moscow would remain within the treaty's limits on warheads, missiles and heavy bomber planes. But if the treaty is not extended or replaced after it expires on February 5 next year, security experts fear it could fuel a new arms race at a time of acute international tension over the conflict in Ukraine, which both Putin and Trump have said could lead to World War III. The Federation of American Scientists, an authoritative source on arms control, says if Russia decided to abandon the treaty limits, it could theoretically increase its deployed nuclear arsenal by up to 60 per cent by uploading hundreds of additional warheads. Ryabkov described Russia-US ties as "simply in ruins". "There are no grounds for a full-scale resumption of New START in the current circumstances. And given that the treaty ends its life cycle in about eight months, talking about the realism of such a scenario is increasingly losing its meaning," Ryabkov told TASS. "Of course, deeply destabilising program like the Golden Dome - and the US is implementing a number of them - create additional, hard-to-overcome obstacles to the constructive consideration of any potential initiatives in the field of nuclear missile arms control, when and if it comes to that." Trump said last month he had selected a design for the $US175-billion Golden Dome project, which aims to block threats from China and Russia by creating a network of satellites, perhaps numbering in the hundreds, to detect, track and potentially intercept incoming missiles. Ryabkov's comments came in the same week that Ukraine stunned Moscow by launching drone strikes on air bases deep inside Russia that house the heavy bomber planes that form part of its nuclear deterrent. Russia has said it will retaliate as and when its military sees fit. Russia sees little chance of saving its last nuclear accord with the United States, due to expire in eight months, given the "ruined" state of relations with Washington, its top arms control official says. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also told TASS news agency US President Donald Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defence project was a "deeply destabilising" factor creating formidable new obstacles to arms control. His comments were among Moscow's bleakest yet about the prospects for the New START agreement, the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between the two countries, which caps the number of strategic warheads that each side can deploy. President Vladimir Putin in 2023 suspended Russian participation in New START, blaming US support for Ukraine, although he said Moscow would remain within the treaty's limits on warheads, missiles and heavy bomber planes. But if the treaty is not extended or replaced after it expires on February 5 next year, security experts fear it could fuel a new arms race at a time of acute international tension over the conflict in Ukraine, which both Putin and Trump have said could lead to World War III. The Federation of American Scientists, an authoritative source on arms control, says if Russia decided to abandon the treaty limits, it could theoretically increase its deployed nuclear arsenal by up to 60 per cent by uploading hundreds of additional warheads. Ryabkov described Russia-US ties as "simply in ruins". "There are no grounds for a full-scale resumption of New START in the current circumstances. And given that the treaty ends its life cycle in about eight months, talking about the realism of such a scenario is increasingly losing its meaning," Ryabkov told TASS. "Of course, deeply destabilising program like the Golden Dome - and the US is implementing a number of them - create additional, hard-to-overcome obstacles to the constructive consideration of any potential initiatives in the field of nuclear missile arms control, when and if it comes to that." Trump said last month he had selected a design for the $US175-billion Golden Dome project, which aims to block threats from China and Russia by creating a network of satellites, perhaps numbering in the hundreds, to detect, track and potentially intercept incoming missiles. Ryabkov's comments came in the same week that Ukraine stunned Moscow by launching drone strikes on air bases deep inside Russia that house the heavy bomber planes that form part of its nuclear deterrent. Russia has said it will retaliate as and when its military sees fit.
Canberra Times
6 hours ago
- Canberra Times
HK activist charged under China-imposed security law
The National Security Law, which punishes offences such as acts of subversion, collusion with foreign forces, and terrorism, with terms of up to life in jail, was imposed by Beijing on the former British colony in 2020.
