Kinsman: Should Canada cut ties with the monarchy and become a republic?

By:
Jeremy Kinsman
/
11 June, 2012
By: Jeremy Kinsman
Former ambassador to the European Union and high commissioner to Britain

No and yes. Canada will not “cut ties” with the reign of Elizabeth II. The question will be whether the Canadian Parliament renews our status as a “realm” with her acutely British son, or grand-son. For Canadians the existential issue is less one of pro or con hereditary monarchy: it is whether Canada’s “monarch” should be from another country. Obviously, there is no question of creating a home-grown monarchy, so a Republic is the inevitable alternative outcome. As a former High Commissioner in London, I have heard as much as I can stomach of the theory of how “our” Monarchy is “Canadian;” it just isn’t so, folks. It’s British through and through, and as we saw this last week, rather joyously and successfully so. But Canada has to get real, grow up, and move on when the time comes. I am absolutely sure it will.

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