What, Me Worry?: Is the monarchy, our monarchy?
I would like you all to visualize the following scenario. The year is 2015; Canada is celebrating its fifth anniversary as a member of the Saudi Arabian Commonwealth. Canada now shares Abdullah bin Abdulaziz as its unelected King and Head of State with Saudi Arabia.
Canada's government is still allowed to operate as a quasi-democracy, allowing us to elect officials for most positions of Parliament including Prime Minister. However, the conditions are thus: the prestigious rank of King/head of State is reserved for hereditary members of the royal bloodline of the King of Saudi Arabia. Non-Muslims specifically are forbidden to hold this position based solely on religious merit. A representative of the King of Saudi Arabia must review all propositions for new laws, while a thousand miles away the King dines on jewel encrusted salmon fillets. Glassy eyed Canadians remain confused and complacent on the issue.
I'm sure many of you outside of Quebec, would scoff at my supposition that Canadians would ever accept this scenario. Unfortunately for many immigrants, this is Canada. Although I myself am an Irish Citizen for another week, I have been living in Canada for over seventeen years and I consider myself as Canadian as I am Irish, if not more. I am proud to say I live in a non-class based democratic society where at least theoretically, we are all considered to be equal contributors. In a country that still swears allegiance to the Queen of England however, is democracy little more than a deceptive concept created to serve the interests of the elite?
Applying for Canadian Citizenship is a long and arduous process that can take up to a year to accomplish. I myself am in the final stages of this pilgrimage with a mandatory test on my knowledge of this vast country in just a weeks time. After successfully passing the test, I am to be sworn in as a citizen. Imagine my shock however, when I was told that in order to receive citizenship I had to swear allegiance to the monarch of a foreign country, who not only isn't a Canadian Citizen herself, but represents everything I detest, and thought my family had left behind.
Are you aware that you live in a country where the position of Head of State of Canada is unattainable for Canadians? It is not voted on democratically, the position is inherited! A clueless schmuck like Prince Charles will soon be the King of Canada, for no other reason except for the family he is descended from.
Consider the following: the Act of settlement of 1701, constitutionally binds Canada to only heads of State that are not Roman Catholics. They must also be required to hold the position of Supreme Governor of The Church of England, thereby also preventing, Jews, Hindus, Muslims or anyone not a member of that Protestant denomination from becoming Canada's head of state. Section 15(1) of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms expressly forbids discrimination on the basis of "race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability."
New citizens come to this country to embrace a way of life that emphasizes equality and the rights of the individual, not classism and hereditary governmental rights — symbolic or otherwise.
The monarchy's substantial wealth and political reach was built on the blood of millions of innocent people worldwide. Telling someone of Irish or East Indian descent, for example, that they must swear allegiance to the Royal family in my mind is akin to telling descendants of the holocaust to swear allegiance to the heirs of Hitler's legacy.
When I walk out of that office next week will I walk with my head hung low, having betrayed my ancestors, and my values by swearing allegiance to the Queen of England?
Of course not! I will benevolently explain that as a member of the human race I possess the right to freedom of thought and expression, and that demanding one to swear allegiance to the head of the Monarchy, and the Anglican Church of England despite all I hold inexorably true is against the constitution, and everything Canadians stand for. What country are we living in here? If you can imagine a Republic of Canada, then imagine for a second:
- A head of state that was educated at your local high school.
- A head of state who has paid rent.
- A head of state with a resume.
- A head of state that has to pay back student loans.
- A head of state with a mortgage.
- An openly gay head of state.
- A head of State who isn't at the pinnacle of a system of privilege.
- A head of state who is accountable to the people.
Imagine if you could be Head of State.
It's our Country, not hers.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Canada's government is still allowed to operate as a quasi-democracy, allowing us to elect officials for most positions of Parliament including Prime Minister. However, the conditions are thus: the prestigious rank of King/head of State is reserved for hereditary members of the royal bloodline of the King of Saudi Arabia. Non-Muslims specifically are forbidden to hold this position based solely on religious merit. A representative of the King of Saudi Arabia must review all propositions for new laws, while a thousand miles away the King dines on jewel encrusted salmon fillets. Glassy eyed Canadians remain confused and complacent on the issue.
I'm sure many of you outside of Quebec, would scoff at my supposition that Canadians would ever accept this scenario. Unfortunately for many immigrants, this is Canada. Although I myself am an Irish Citizen for another week, I have been living in Canada for over seventeen years and I consider myself as Canadian as I am Irish, if not more. I am proud to say I live in a non-class based democratic society where at least theoretically, we are all considered to be equal contributors. In a country that still swears allegiance to the Queen of England however, is democracy little more than a deceptive concept created to serve the interests of the elite?
Applying for Canadian Citizenship is a long and arduous process that can take up to a year to accomplish. I myself am in the final stages of this pilgrimage with a mandatory test on my knowledge of this vast country in just a weeks time. After successfully passing the test, I am to be sworn in as a citizen. Imagine my shock however, when I was told that in order to receive citizenship I had to swear allegiance to the monarch of a foreign country, who not only isn't a Canadian Citizen herself, but represents everything I detest, and thought my family had left behind.
Are you aware that you live in a country where the position of Head of State of Canada is unattainable for Canadians? It is not voted on democratically, the position is inherited! A clueless schmuck like Prince Charles will soon be the King of Canada, for no other reason except for the family he is descended from.
Consider the following: the Act of settlement of 1701, constitutionally binds Canada to only heads of State that are not Roman Catholics. They must also be required to hold the position of Supreme Governor of The Church of England, thereby also preventing, Jews, Hindus, Muslims or anyone not a member of that Protestant denomination from becoming Canada's head of state. Section 15(1) of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms expressly forbids discrimination on the basis of "race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability."
New citizens come to this country to embrace a way of life that emphasizes equality and the rights of the individual, not classism and hereditary governmental rights — symbolic or otherwise.
The monarchy's substantial wealth and political reach was built on the blood of millions of innocent people worldwide. Telling someone of Irish or East Indian descent, for example, that they must swear allegiance to the Royal family in my mind is akin to telling descendants of the holocaust to swear allegiance to the heirs of Hitler's legacy.
When I walk out of that office next week will I walk with my head hung low, having betrayed my ancestors, and my values by swearing allegiance to the Queen of England?
Of course not! I will benevolently explain that as a member of the human race I possess the right to freedom of thought and expression, and that demanding one to swear allegiance to the head of the Monarchy, and the Anglican Church of England despite all I hold inexorably true is against the constitution, and everything Canadians stand for. What country are we living in here? If you can imagine a Republic of Canada, then imagine for a second:
- A head of state that was educated at your local high school.
- A head of state who has paid rent.
- A head of state with a resume.
- A head of state that has to pay back student loans.
- A head of state with a mortgage.
- An openly gay head of state.
- A head of State who isn't at the pinnacle of a system of privilege.
- A head of state who is accountable to the people.
Imagine if you could be Head of State.
It's our Country, not hers.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
