Canadians were attached to Queen Elizabeth II until the end, but her relationship with the monarchy has become increasingly strained and her death will reignite debate over the country’s political system, experts say.

“Canada is a monarchical exception in the middle of a fairly republican continent,” said Marc Chevrier, professor of political science at the University of Quebec in Montreal.

In a few weeks, after the mourning period, “the debates around the relevance of continuing to be a monarchy will resurface, Pandora’s box is open”, added.

To honor the death of its “queen for almost half of Canada’s existence”, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recalled, the country entered a ten-day period of mourning on Thursday. Across the territory, flags have been lowered to half-mast and a national memorial service is planned in the capital, Ottawa, on the same day as the funeral in London.

But behind the official pageantry, the country maintains an increasingly ambivalent relationship with the monarchy. “Even in English-speaking Canada, support for the monarchy has declined over the years,” said Philippe Lagasse, a professor at Carleton University in Ottawa and an expert on the role of the Crown in his country.

According to an April survey, a majority of Canadians (which stands at 71% in the French-speaking province of Quebec) would even like to put an end to the monarchy. 67% said they were opposed to Charles succeeding his mother as King of Canada and his visit to the country last May went largely unnoticed.

In Canada, the British monarch is the head of state, but the role is largely ceremonial.
The one who holds the power is the governor general, representative of the sovereign in the country and appointed by the prime minister.

Currently, this position is held by Mary Simon, an Eskimo from northern Quebec. She is Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General.

Erase ties to the Crown

But to follow the example of Barbados, which in 2021 chose to secede from the British Crown and become a republic, Canada would have to undertake a profound reform of its institutions.

“Monarchy is the cornerstone of all constitutional law”, Chevrier explained by referring to the founding principle at the birth of Canada as a country in 1867. For example, he notes, “the office of Prime Minister does not even appear in the Canadian Constitution, which does not mention than the monarch.

Reforming the Constitution and abolishing the monarchy would require a Herculean effort and possibly years of political negotiations, as it requires the unanimous approval of Parliament and the governments of Canada’s 10 provinces.

And in an increasingly politically divided Canada, this debate could likely spark controversy.

According to Lagasse, over time all the symbolism associated with royalty will be discussed and likely revised to continue to erase ties to the British monarchy.

The face of Elizabeth II appears on Canadian $20 coins and bills, for example.

Some protocols are also expected to change, including the citizenship oath. Currently, every new Canadian citizen must pledge their “loyalty to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, and to her heirs and successors.”

This legal provision had already been unsuccessfully challenged in court in 2014 by immigrants who argued that it violated their religious beliefs and conscience.
For a Canadian population that is increasingly diverse and multicultural, but also grappling with its colonial past, the link to the monarchy seems less and less relevant.

See also: Confirm date of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral