Canadian Republican Research List – February 2011

Prominent Canadian Republican Randall White has compiled a ‘Canadian Republican Research List’ providing a timeline of Canadian Republican-related news events/articles/happenings with appropriate links by date.

(1) January 31, 2011 … Canadians support changes to British throne succession: Poll … Ipsos pollster Darrell Bricker …  said the rules-of-succession issue isn’t likely to ignite a storm of controversy in Canadian politics … But he noted that broader questions about the country’s constitutional monarchy are likely to remain on the public’s radar as long as there is a prospect of minority and coalition Canadian governments, which tend to highlight the role of the governor general in deciding who governs and when elections occur … “One of the things that has become really interesting over the space of the last five years is the relevance of our more historic political institutions in this country,” he said : http://bit.ly/fyIoF9

(2) February 1, 2011 … Perhaps the debate on Canada’s future with the monarchy will be put aside for a little while as rumours begin to swirl that Prince William  and Kate Middleton will have their honeymoon here in Canada : http://bit.ly/i8sRVD

(3) February 4, 2011 … Prince William and bride expected in Canada this summer … Separately, Friday, Canada Post announced it will commemorate the upcoming nuptials with a pair of new stamps, to be issued May 2 : http://bit.ly/fn24B3

(4) February 5, 2011 …  P.E.I. to do its part to commemorate Queen’s Diamond Jubilee … Prince Edward Island plans to be active in supporting provincial and national celebrations in 2012 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years of service to Canada and the Commonwealth : http://bit.ly/eU3rhc

(5) February 10, 2011 … GG Johnston talks to Yukon students, First Nations … On Wednesday, Johnston went to the Council of Yukon First Nations office in Whitehorse to meet with some of the territory’s chiefs, who called on the Governor General to tell the federal government to treat First Nations with more respect … Council of Yukon First Nations Grand Chief Ruth Massie said while she knows the Governor General does not get politically involved, she believes Johnston can be a messenger : http://bit.ly/grT4Pn

(6) February 11, 2011 … Back in December 2008 when Mr. Harper first prorogued the House, Salt Spring Island resident and nationally respected historian Ronald Wright sent the following observation to the Globe and Mail: … “Suspending Parliament to dodge a vote the government fears it will lose is so deeply undemocratic it should never have been mooted by politicians, the media or the Governor General. The English Civil War was fought on this very issue — after King Charles I shut down Parliament when he found its restrictions uncongenial. The King lost his head” : http://bit.ly/ez2AT5

(7) February 16, 2011 … Update: Prince William, Kate confirm Canadian visit itinerary … The tour, which comes in response to an invitation from the federal government, will kick off with the royal couple celebrating Canada Day on Parliament Hill … They will then travel to Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island and Quebec, according to a loose itinerary released Wednesday by the federal government. In all, Prince William and his future bride will be in Canada from June 30 to July 8, 2011: http://bit.ly/hGB4Fb

(8) February 16, 2011 … Prince William and Kate Middleton will visit Canada to shore up support for the monarchy … A 16-day Canadian visit by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla in 2009 did not attract huge crowds … CBC News reported at the time that a survey showed that most Canadians felt that the monarchy was out of step with the times : http://bit.ly/gKFE7b

(9) February 16, 2011 … Upcoming Royal Tour: CBC Comment Boxes… [The Monarchist League Message Board] … Has anyone read through the commentary various posters have been writing in response to today’s announcement? It seems to be much worse than what we saw last summer with the Queen or the previous autumn with the Prince of Wales …. At the very least, the CBC ought to take a more proactive approach by discouraging negative attacks on either the royal family itself or the Canadian Crown in general. As a public broadcaster, the CBC should be striving to educate Canadians about their own heritage rather than jumping on to the apathetic/cynical/republican bandwagon : http://bit.ly/fuIjfG

(10) February 17, 2011 … cp24 Toronto: Poll Result: Will you go see William & Kate when they visit Canada this summer?   No 71%, Yes  24 %, Undecided  5 % : http://bit.ly/ekQWVV

(11) February 18, 2011 …  William And Kate Can Afford To Pay Their Way … By Barbara Yaffe … Why are Canadians being asked to foot the bill for an upcoming royal visit? The question is being put by a Toronto-based group that favours a Canadian head of state to replace the monarchy … Citizens for a Canadian Republic has issued a news release declaring: “As outrageously expensive as it is, it’s one thing to pay for the Queen to come to Canada, but to also pay for her children and grandchildren to visit makes no sense” … They’ve got a point, and it’s not like the royals cannot afford to pay their own travel costs : http://bit.ly/i86tXL

(12) February 18, 2011 … Kate, Will and Canadian Democracy …  It is one thing to be drawn into a celebrity wedding such as the forthcoming nuptials of Kate and Will … but it is quite another thing to “support” an institution that glorifies inequality, elitism, and entitlement … If we are staying attached to the monarchy for symbolic reasons, they are the wrong symbols upon which to base a democracy. This is particularly important as the struggle for democracy continues in the wider world : http://bit.ly/f1flP1

(13) February 22, 2011 … Quebec separatists to picket royal couple … Patrick Bourgeois of the newspaper Le Quebecois and president of the separatist Reseau de Resistance du Quebec, told Postmedia News acts of civil disobedience were being planned … “We are not going to let the British monarchy walk upon our territory with complete impunity,” he said : http://bit.ly/dYxFEE

(14) February 25, 2011 … Long past time to abolish monarchy … In the Feb. 17 guest column …  Janice Kennedy ends, “Trouble is, change requires leadership” … What is wrong with looking to ourselves? … Cindy Rivait discusses the Egyptians’ proud fight for freedom in her Feb. 19 letter, “People power” fuelled revolt … Paraphrasing the final paragraph, “The power of intentions plus like-minded citizens ignited a large population to bring about change” … Go, Canada :http://bit.ly/freJd0

(15) February 26, 2011 … A civil revolution … By Janice Kennedy, Ottawa Citizen … If you’ve ever gnashed your teeth over the idea of monarchy, you can sympathize — a little — with the Réseau de Résistance du Québécois. The separatist group vowed this week to make the summertime visit of royal newlyweds William and Kate as “unpleasant as possible” … OK, fine. But do they have to be so extreme about it? So humourless? So grumpy? …  Better by far to follow the civilized lead of the organizations in Common Cause, republican groups from Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand … Canadians’ involvement in the royal nuptials comes when the honeymooners show up for Canada Day. So Tom Freda, national director of Citizens for a Canadian Republic, has zeroed in on questionable money issues around the young celebrities’ honeymoon here : http://bit.ly/fCOwWV

(16) February 28, 2011 …  Today is Monday, February 28 … Highlights in history on this date … 1952 — Vincent Massey takes office as Governor-General of Canada, the first Canadian to hold the office … 1996 — Calling it the saddest day of her life, Britain’s Princess Diana agrees to divorce her estranged husband Prince Charles : http://bit.ly/huMI7g