King Charles’ Coronation will occur in an official ceremony in Ottawa on May 6, 2023.
There is a unique significance for Canada when the globe assembles to witness King Charles III’s coronation. The King of Canada will be the new monarch’s official title in addition to his other titles. After 70 years, a British king is being crowned for the first time. For Queen Elizabeth II, the final one was held in 1952.
The ceremony will have Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, RoseAnne Archibald as the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. The President of Inuit-Tapiriit Kanatami, Natan Obed, and the President of the Métis National Council-Cassidy Caron.
All of whom will remain present to commemorate the occasion. Janice Charette, the Secretary to the Cabinet and Clerk of the Privy Council, will be there, and young leaders will be part of the Canadian delegation.
On May 6 and 7, 2023, events will be held in towns and cities all around the nation.
Canada being a constitutional monarchy, does need the presence of a King. This indicates that it consists of a monarch- The Crown, as its head of state. Additionally, while legally, the government has the authority to rule on behalf of and in the best interests of the people, that authority actually belongs to the Crown.
King Charles’ Coronation- defining the role of a King in Canada
The Crown currently has a largely symbolic function in Canadian politics. The Governor General, who represents the King in Canada, attends a number of formal events and represents his country during state visits and other international occasions.
When an election takes place, they are also in charge of officially dissolving parliament.
Bills with confirmation by both the House of Commons and the Senate of Canada may also get Royal Assent from the Governor General. Once more, the Governor General’s signature is necessary for legislation to be passed. But it is also their responsibility to maintain impartiality. This means that the Crown will sign a Bill into law if it has passed both chambers without intervening or voicing an opinion.
In other words, the King and his envoys play a purely ceremonial role in Canada’s governance and are not directly involved.
Undertaking an oath of allegiance to the sovereign
Essentially, pledging loyalty to the King is a requirement of Canadian citizenship.
A study guide is available from IRCC for immigrants who must take the citizenship oath. It states that by swearing allegiance to the King, new Canadians would declare commitment to a figure who speaks for all Canadians rather than a legal document, a flag, or a geopolitical unit like a nation.
It continues by stating that the Sovereign (Queen or King) goes beyond these aspects and that Canada personifies both the Sovereign and these elements.
King Charles’ Coronation- Canadians’ attitudes towards the monarchy
Although the citizenship study guide claims that the Sovereign represents all Canadians. It appears that public support for King Charles and the monarchy in Canada is at an all-time low.
According to a recent Angus Reid Institute study, Canadians might not show their support for the monarchy more than in previous years as they await the coronation. According to the research, people think the Royal Family is either no longer significant to them personally (49%) or is growing less relevant over time (28%).
One in five people (20%) think the Royal Family is still relevant today. But only three percent think their influence is increasing.
According to the survey, over sixty percent of Canadians, with the exception of women over the age of 55, believe that the nation should break its connections with the monarchy.
A survey conducted by the same organization in 2022, 49% of Canadians believe the monarchy has outmoded ideals.
Although there was little support for the monarchy at the time, there was sympathy for Queen Elizabeth II personally. King Charles is an exception to this rule. According to the most recent statistics, 60% of people oppose recognizing him as King of Canada. Canadians over the age of 54 have the highest levels of approval for him, accounting for 35 percent.
Canada’s history of monarchy
Although there has been a monarchy in Canada since 1534, King Francis I of France was the country’s first ruler. This is due to the fact that the same year, Jacques Cartier, one of the first European explorers to reach Canada, entered the St. Lawrence River and claimed the region for France.
Following that, the region that is now Canada was alternately ruled by France and England, both of which had robust monarchs. In the end, after a conflict (in the late 18th century), France lost Canada to Britain, which has since ruled as a monarchy.
The Crown and the British government were generally in charge of significant decisions about how the Canadian colonies (distinct provinces) were administered from that point until 1867.
This is despite the fact that the present provinces did have their own legislatures. Four of the provinces got permission to unite as the Dominion of Canada. They could assume the majority of governing duties when Britain passed the British North America Act in 1867.
Between 1867 and 1982, the Constitution Act became a law establishing Canada’s complete independence from Britain. There were little changes to Britain’s role in the country’s governance. By virtue of the Constitution Act, Canada is free to alter its legal framework without obtaining the monarchy’s or Britain’s consent. Also, to sign the contract, Queen Elizabeth II was present in Canada.
