Latest news with #abolishmonarchy
Globe and Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Quebec's National Assembly unanimously votes to break ties with the monarchy
Quebec's National Assembly had a parting gift for King Charles III on Tuesday: a unanimous motion to abolish the monarchy in Quebec. Within hours of the sovereign leaving Canada after his brief visit to open Parliament and deliver the Throne Speech, the blue chamber of the provincial legislature voted 106-0 to cut all ties between the Crown and the province. The motion does not bind the government to act, and constitutional experts agree that enacting it would be nearly impossible, but the gesture highlighted the stark difference in feeling toward all things regal in English and French Canada. King Charles delivers Throne Speech asserting Canada's sovereignty, pledging major transformation in economy The leader of the sovereigntist Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, put forward the motion, but every party in the legislature supported it, with no abstentions, including the governing Coalition Avenir Québec and the staunchly federalist Liberals. The practical implications of the motion would include jettisoning Quebec's Lieutenant-Governor, the representative of the Crown in the province, who formally appoints ministers, signs laws and launches elections. The leftist Québec solidaire suggested replacing her with an 'administrator' until the province becomes independent, as QS would like. 'I have nothing against the English,' Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon said in a scrum Tuesday. 'It's just not my king. It's not my country. And I don't understand why we throw tens of thousands of dollars every year at these institutions. I find it unacceptable.' Quebeckers have always had a complicated relationship with a monarchy that some still view as a symbol of conquest. Today, the overwhelming sentiment is one of crushing indifference: 87 per cent of respondents in a recent Léger poll said they felt no attachment to the Crown. The Quebec government has taken steps in recent years to diminish the place of the monarchy in public life. In 2022 it scrapped the requirement for members of the National Assembly to pledge allegiance to the King, after a stand-off with deputies from the PQ who refused to do so. In 2023 the National Assembly approved a motion calling to abolish the role of lieutenant-governor. But bringing this week's motion into force would require much more drastic action, said Jean-François Gaudreault-DesBiens, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Montreal. To break with the monarchy in Quebec would require abolishing it across Canada, a step that would involve constitutional reform agreed to by all the provinces and the federal government. 'It's a bit of wishful thinking,' Prof. Gaudreault-DesBiens said. 'As long as Quebec wants to remain within the constitutional order of Canada – so unless it achieves independence – it has to play by the rules.' The PQ, currently leading in the polls, has promised a referendum on independence during its first mandate if elected. But despite the party's popularity, support for Quebec sovereignty is hovering around a historic low amidst U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to annex Canada. The office of Premier François Legault declined to say Wednesday whether it would take steps to abolish the monarchy in Quebec, but spokesperson Ewan Sauves defended the government's support for the motion. 'We are a nationalist government,' he said in a statement. 'We are responding above all to the people of Quebec. It's clear for us that a majority of Quebeckers don't recognize themselves in the monarchy. And remember: Quebec is a distinct nation within Canada. The motion adopted yesterday is in that spirit.' With reports from The Canadian Press
National Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Quebec legislators vote to cut ties with British monarchy after King's visit
Article content QUEBEC — On the same day King Charles III delivered a throne speech in Ottawa heaping praise on Canada, the National Assembly Tuesday adopted a motion calling on Quebec to abolish all ties with the monarchy. Article content Article content Presented by Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, the motion states that Quebec is the only custodian of the democratic expression of the Quebec people. Article content It notes a majority of Quebecers feel no attachment to the British monarchy and that 'the National Assembly agrees to abolish the link between the Quebec state and the British monarchy.' Article content The motion was adopted without debate. The vote was unanimous with 106 MNAs from the Coalition Avenir Québec government and the other two opposition parties, the Liberals and Québec solidaire, voting in favour of the PQ motion. Article content The vote came on the same day as King Charles III delivered a historic address in the Senate Chamber in Ottawa, quoting the words of the Canadian national anthem. Article content 'The True North is indeed strong and free,' he said to the applause of MPs, Senators and number guests. Article content But at the legislature in Quebec City, the speech was greeted with a mix of indifference and ridicule. Article content 'I didn't listen to it,' Premier François Legault said on his way out of question period in the afternoon. 'I was in meetings.' Article content Simon-Jolin Barrette, the Minister Responsible for Canadian Relations, said the same thing, adding he would listen to it later. Article content But the opposition parties had plenty of opinions on the presence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Canadian soil. Article content 'What a bizarre country Canada is,' Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal said at a news conference. 'To affirm its sovereignty, it believes it is important to bring the monarch of a foreign country here to talk about its priorities.' Article content QS was the first party to propose the abolition of the oath to the monarch MNAs used to have to swear before taking their place in the legislature. In December 2022 a law was adopted making the oath optional after PQ MNAs were briefly barred from sitting because they refused to take the oath. Article content Now QS wants to go further, calling on the CAQ government to put an end to the funding Quebec provides for lieutenant-governor — the king's representative at the legislature — to pay for things like office space, staff and a car and driver. Article content The Quebec budget this year included $758,000 to pay those costs. The salary of the lieutenant-governor is paid by Ottawa. The post is currently occupied by Manon Jeannotte. Article content The day after she was named in December 2023, the National Assembly adopted a motion calling for the post to be abolished. Nothing has happened as a result of that motion because, in reality, the government can't do much about the post in the short term. Article content While much of the job is ceremonial, Quebec laws do not become legal unless they have the royal sanction, which is Jeannotte's job. Article content QS has argued the lieutenant-governor's legal functions could be replaced by an administrator, a move that would require the support of the federal government and the other provinces. Article content Asked about the obstacles ahead, Ghazal insisted the first step is to at least start talking about it. Article content 'People said abolishing the oath would be impossible and yet we got it abolished,' Ghazal said. Article content QS says in the meantime Quebec, on its own, could stop funding the lieutenant-governor's office, a message she recently delivered to Jolin-Barrette who, she said, has taken note of the idea. Article content The CAQ's own 2015 platform called for elimination of the post of lieutenant-governor. Article content St-Pierre Plamondon started into the theme at his morning news conference, laughing off the idea that U.S. President Donald Trump will somehow be influenced by the presence of the king who came to Canada on the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Carney. Article content '(Carney's) best card is Charles III, a monarch from another country based on a colonial tradition that is oppressive to francophones and First Nations?' St-Pierre Plamondon told reporters. 'It's out there. It's so abnormal. And, of course, from a Quebec standpoint, it's not acceptable. Article content 'If you think or anyone else here thinks that Donald Trump will stop saying things that are either random or hostile to Canada because Charles III was giving a speech today, I don't know what game we're playing right now. It just doesn't make sense.' Article content Interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay, who said he is no fan of the monarchy, noted that abolishing the post requires a Constitutional amendment, which is no small order. Article content
The Independent
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Royal family hijacked VE Day anniversary, says republican protest organiser
The head of a republican movement has claimed the royal family 'hijacked' VE Day anniversary celebrations as protesters campaigned in central London. Several hundred people gathered in Trafalgar Square on Saturday for the demonstration, organised by anti-monarchy group Republic, to mark two years since the King's coronation. Large yellow banners were hung in front of the National Gallery that read 'Abolish the monarchy' and 'Change country for good', while protesters also held yellow flags that said 'Down with the crown'. The demonstration included a 15ft dinosaur called Chuck the Rex that represents the monarchy as 'a tamed fossil that belongs in a museum', organisers said. Separate republican protests were also due to take place in Edinburgh and Cardiff on Saturday. It comes after Charles and the royal family attended a busy week of public engagements marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, including a military procession and flypast over Buckingham Palace on Monday. Graham Smith, Republic's chief executive, told the crowd at the protest that the monarchy was 'a corrupt, disreputable and grubby institution' and called for 'a parliamentary republic where citizenship really means something (and) where we are genuinely equal'. He said the movement's goal was to abolish the monarchy 'in the next few decades'. Asked about the royal family's role in the commemorative VE Day events, Mr Smith told the PA news agency: 'The royals certainly hijacked those celebrations. 'They are not a celebration of the royals but if you watched some of the coverage, it was. 'The war was a collective effort and we should be reflecting on the people that made those sacrifices at the time and went through it, not gawping at princes on balconies and worrying about who they're having tea with.' Mr Smith and other Republic members were arrested for taking part in a pre-agreed protest on the King's coronation on May 6 2023, and were later told no further action would be taken. The group held up banners and chanted 'not my King, not my King' when Charles and other royal family members joined a service at Westminster Abbey celebrating Commonwealth Day in March. Mr Smith said Republic would continue to protest at every major royal event, including at the Trooping the Colour next month. Former Liberal Democrat minister Norman Baker, who was MP for Lewes from 1997 to 2015, told the crowd: 'You don't have to be a republican to find unacceptable the huge handouts, the unique tax exemptions and all the tricks and ways that they used to inflate further their bulging bank accounts at our public expense. 'It's time for all of us, republicans and supporters of the monarchy, to say enough is enough and call time on this greedy family.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Royal family hijacked VE Day anniversary, says republican protest organiser
The head of a republican movement has claimed the royal family 'hijacked' VE Day anniversary celebrations as protesters campaigned in central London. Several hundred people gathered in Trafalgar Square on Saturday for the demonstration, organised by anti-monarchy group Republic, to mark two years since the King's coronation. Large yellow banners were hung in front of the National Gallery that read 'Abolish the monarchy' and 'Change country for good', while protesters also held yellow flags that said 'Down with the crown'. The demonstration included a 15ft dinosaur called Chuck the Rex that represents the monarchy as 'a tamed fossil that belongs in a museum', organisers said. Separate republican protests were also due to take place in Edinburgh and Cardiff on Saturday. It comes after Charles and the royal family attended a busy week of public engagements marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, including a military procession and flypast over Buckingham Palace on Monday. Graham Smith, Republic's chief executive, told the crowd at the protest that the monarchy was 'a corrupt, disreputable and grubby institution' and called for 'a parliamentary republic where citizenship really means something (and) where we are genuinely equal'. He said the movement's goal was to abolish the monarchy 'in the next few decades'. Asked about the royal family's role in the commemorative VE Day events, Mr Smith told the PA news agency: 'The royals certainly hijacked those celebrations. 'They are not a celebration of the royals but if you watched some of the coverage, it was. 'The war was a collective effort and we should be reflecting on the people that made those sacrifices at the time and went through it, not gawping at princes on balconies and worrying about who they're having tea with.' Mr Smith and other Republic members were arrested for taking part in a pre-agreed protest on the King's coronation on May 6 2023, and were later told no further action would be taken. The group held up banners and chanted 'not my King, not my King' when Charles and other royal family members joined a service at Westminster Abbey celebrating Commonwealth Day in March. Mr Smith said Republic would continue to protest at every major royal event, including at the Trooping the Colour next month. Former Liberal Democrat minister Norman Baker, who was MP for Lewes from 1997 to 2015, told the crowd: 'You don't have to be a republican to find unacceptable the huge handouts, the unique tax exemptions and all the tricks and ways that they used to inflate further their bulging bank accounts at our public expense. 'It's time for all of us, republicans and supporters of the monarchy, to say enough is enough and call time on this greedy family.'
