What's it like not having a lesser evil to vote for?

[jBirch]

Hey All,

CivilTech badgered me into it, so here it is:

In Canada, our nominal head of state is the Queen of Canada while our actual head of state is our Prime Minister. So, given that She is not elected, barely present to run anything in the government and essentially a modern rubber stamp, what's the point in keeping Her around? What role does She serve? Should She be elected, and our executive branch restored to a democratically elected official? What about the senate? Should those old farts be elected too?

Why should any official representative post NOT be elected?

[civiltech]

I'll take your new tempered thread as humour!

First of all, I am digging on the specifics of the most recent act of a Queen's rep. not giving Royal Assent to an act of legislation. I don't keep the specifics or reference on file, so bear with me for a while.

Secondly, we don't have a nominal head of state. Our Head of State at present is Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, represented by H.E. Adrienne Clarkson. Our head of government is the Prime Minister. This may be confusing you, and why your asking the question initiating this discussion. They are two different positions. The duties vary quite a bit between our head of state, and head of government. I hope your not trying to argue that the Head of State should be making legislation! Monarchists or not, everyone will disagree with you on that one I elect MP's to represent me in the house of commons!


Thirdly...the Crown is an integral part of Canada. Loosely taken from informaiton summarized by the MLC as follows:

4 Facets to the Crown:

1) Political: Sanctions legislation; and oversees partisan political activity. Ensures orderly transition of power. Keeps in check the ambitions of the powerful.

2) Legal: Has the last word on appointments to allthe high offices of state. Delegation from the Crown reminds officials of their duty to serve the greater public good. Sustains independence in the civil, military, and judicial.

3) Cultural: Queen rewards outstanding accomplishments in all walks of life. By not being a partisan member of the government, awards are untainted by the current ruling party's strategies. Also, if your a staunch NDPr, it doesn't take away from the honour by getting an award from a partisan group you don't like, or believe in.

4) Historical: Queen renews our attachment ot tradition of civility. Inspires the public.

The fact that the Queen does not continually assert her power in front of Canadians ( or in any of her Other realms for that matter) doesn't mean she doesn't have power. It simply means that there is no reason to use it!!!! So many people choose to question the validity of the executive in a Government, and then say "I don't know what it does, and have never seen it myself, so lets get rid of it...."
Especially in this current world where we only understand what we see right in front of us....showed to us with bells and whistles....what we can only pull up on google.ca (I love this google.....anyone under 30 or so....if I can't find it on the net...it doesn't exist! )

Lastly, I have simply copied and pasted the following from the MLC's website. I trust no one will read it in it's entirety, but it is there to answer your questions on why we should continue to have a Constitutional Monarchy:



The Constitution of Canada declares that the Government of Canada and the Command in Chief of the Forces are vested in the Queen. Her Majesty is one of three parts of the Parliament of Canada (Queen, Senate and Commons). She is Sovereign of the Order of Canada, Sovereign of the Order of Military Merit, Colonel-in-Chief of numerous units of the Canadian Forces, Honorary Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Patron of many institutions and organisations in various walks of Canadian life.

The Canadian statute entitled The Interpretation Act clearly defines the Crown. It says: "...'the Crown' means the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, Canada and Her other Realms and Territories, and Head of the Commonwealth".

The Queen succeeded to the Throne in 1952. She assumed the separate title "Queen of Canada" by Act of Her Canadian Parliament 1953. Was crowned 1953. Became the first Sovereign to open the Parliament of Canada in person 1965. proclaimed the National Flag of Canada 1965. Presided at the Centenary of Canadian Confederation 1967. Opened the Montreal Olympics 1976. Celebrated Her Silver Jubilee in Ottawa 1977. Proclaimed the revised Constitution of Canada 1982. Created Canadian Heraldic Authority 1987. Presided over Canada Day Celebrations, Parliament Hill, 1990 & 1992.

Canada Has Always Been A Monarchy

From the days of earliest settlement the only form of society Canadians have known has been a monarchy. The native people themselves had a tribal idea of kingship. Our tradition of monarchy was French and British and became, as it now is, distinctly Canadian. In 1867 Canadians freely and deliberately reaffirmed their allegiance to the Monarchy. They have done so at each subsequent stage in their political development.

Monarchy Or Republic

The Queen of Canada is more democratic than a President of Canada ever could be because she represents all Canadians. An elected president would owe his selection to a political faction, and this would publicly divide him from many of his countrymen and would make his claim to represent "the people" less convincing. Frequent selections of presidents would interrupt the continuity essential for an effective head of our country. The Queen and her heirs have been trained from birth for one vocation -- that of discharging the duties of sovereign of Canada. Therefore, they are the only Canadians fit to assume this important position.

Monarchy And Federalism

An appointed President, or Governor-General can only be a figure of the central government. The Queen, however, transcends and encompasses both central and provincial governments. She is non-partisan between levels of government as well as political parties and therefore is indispensable to the federal system. At Regina in 1978 the ten Premiers stated: "Provinces agree that the system of democratic parliamentary government requires an ultimate authority to ensure its responsible nature and to safeguard against abuses of power. That ultimate power must not be an instrument of the federal Cabinet." Monarchy makes the Provinces in their fields of jurisdiction as potent as the Federal authority, thus allowing for a flexible federalism.

Monarchical Government

Constitutional monarchy alone is capable of integrating the executive, legislative and judicial functions of government. The Crown’s authority lends a universal legitimacy to the many particular decisions made by and at different levels of government. Constitutional monarchy allows the celebration of public social events, such as the marking of collective anniversaries and the bestowal of honours, to be free of the taint of partisan politics. In a world of rapid social change, where there is a price to be paid for uncertainty, be that price only economic, constitutional monarchy provides continuity, especially at time of political transition.

As well, the Monarchy gives Canada a distinctive political system at a time of strong North American Continental trade, social and cultural influences.

Monarchy For The 20th And 21st Centuries

Most of the stable and prosperous democracies in the world today are constitutional monarchies. On the other hand, most of the unstable countries in the contemporary world are republics, many of which have overthrown their monarchies. The republics of history were born into violence, whereas kings usually are born into their position through an act of love. There is a sense of easy communication between monarchy and people, which politicians by nature are unable to develop. Canadians participate fully in their Queen’s life; they are involved in her activities during home-comings and through the media. he and her family have visited more parts of Canada than most Canadians. Many newcomers to Canada have come from countries with monarchies. They readily identify with our Canadian Monarchy which is a living institution of the twentieth century, constantly changing and adapting to our modern way of life. Moreover, the colour and ceremony which surround the Monarchy attract the interest of Canadians, especially young people, in our process of government.

This Land Is Their Land

The Royal Family’s personal ties with Canada began with our history. The first member to be present in the new land was King George III’s son Prince William (William IV) who arrived in Newfoundland in 1786. Queen Victoria’s father, the Duke of Kent, during his nine years’ residence here from 1791 to 1800, prepared the military defences that warded off the invader in 1812. The 1860 tour of the Prince of Wales (Edward VII) cut through sectional differences -- especially in the Maritimes -- and hastened Confederation. Princess Louise played a role in the Canadian cultural flowering in the latter pat of the nineteenth century: the Royal Canadian Academy and the National Gallery of Canada are both associated with her. Another Prince of Wales (Edward VIII) made a triumphant cross-Canada tour in 1919 and helped bring unity to a Canadian society sadly divided by class strife following the Winnipeg General Strike. In our own time, Prince Philip as President of the Canadian Medical Association in 1959 stimulated a concern for physical fitness among Canadians. His Duke of Edinburgh’s Award established here in 1963 has involved thousands of Canadian youth. In 1977 the Duke of York (Prince Andrew) attended school in Canada. A major biographer of the Queen has commented that not only is Her Majesty Queen of Canada in law but that she also feels Canadian. On her first tour of Canada in 1951 as Princess Elizabeth, the Queen commented that the warmth of the welcome Canadians had given her "made us feel how truly we belong to Canada". In 1978, she declared in Edmonton "I am getting to know our country rather well". On Parliament Hill in 1990 after the collapse of the Meech Lake negotiations, she reminded Canadians, "I am no fair weather friend" thus asserting the Monarch’s concern for Canada in difficult times as well as happy times.

Hereditary?

Perhaps Canadian historian Jacques Monet has said it best. "...a king is a king, not because he is rich and powerful, not because he belongs to a particular creed or to a national group. He is King because he is born. And in choosing to leave the selection of their head of state to this most common denominator in the world -- the accident of birth -- Canadians implicitly proclaim their faith in human equality; their hope for the triumph of nature over political manoeuvre, over social and financial interest; for the victory of the human person."

The Governor-General

The Governor-General is the Queen of Canada’s personal representative in Canada. Canada shares its monarch with many other countries, countries with whom we have a common legal and constitutional history in the Commonwealth. Normally the Queen resides in her most ancient realm, the United Kingdom, but she is regularly present in her newer kingdoms around the world. When she is not in Canada, the Governor-General exercises the Queen’s prerogative powers, as empowered by the Letters Patent issued by King George VI in 1947. These powers, however, belong to the Queen, not to the Governor-General. For example, the Governor-General represents the Queen in Parliament but is not himself a part of Parliament. In addition, the Governor-General exercises certain other functions that are conferred upon him by Parliament in his capacity as administrator of the Government of Canada on behalf of the Queen. The Constitution of Canada recognises two distinct positions, that of Queen and that of Governor-General. The position of Governor-General is subordinate to and derived from that of the Queen. Although the popular expression "head of State" is sometimes used to refer to the Queen and to the Governor-General, the Governor-General as representative of the Queen is clearly not a head of state. He carries out the duties of the head of state but is not himself one. Nor does the Governor-General "advise" the Queen. He either acts as the Queen or is a channel of advice from the Prime Minister to the Queen. The Fathers of Confederation wished the Sovereign to play an active role in the Canadian Constitution, even though at that time distance prevented the reigning monarch from being physically present. This is clear from resolution number 4 of the Quebec Resolutions (the principles on which the Constitution of Canada was based), stating that the Government is "to be administered ... by the Sovereign personally or by the Representative of the Sovereign duly authorised". The Fathers were determined to have the Sovereign at the head of their Canadian kingdom, not just an appointed official with the somewhat colonial sounding title of Governor-General. The Governor-General has an extremely important function, although that is seriously impaired if the holder does not consciously carry it out as representative of the Queen.

What Are Some Of The Queen’s Roles?

When newcomers swear allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II in the Oath of Citizenship, they acquire their first and lifelong tie with all other Canadians, since the Queen is the emblem of Canadian citizenship. The Executive Authority of and over Canada is vested in the Queen. The Queen is one of the three parts of Parliament ("I greet you as your Queen. Together we constitute the Parliament of Canada" she told MP’s & Senators in Ottawa in 1957.). Government Ministers are her Ministers. As the law-making authority for Canada the Queen proposes some laws (through her democratically responsible Ministers) or is asked by her High Court of Parliament to make certain other laws. Measures of a governing political party therefore are introduced into Parliament as royal measures. That does not mean Canadians should not oppose them. To make clear that such criticism is legitimate, the opposing elements in Parliament are officially called Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. The final stage of Canadian lawmaking is Royal Assent by which bills are created laws by the Queen on behalf of the whole country. In the daily conduct of government, the Queen’s right to be consulted, the right to encourage and the right to warn provide a check on excessive Prime Ministerial power. These rights are usually exercised for the Queen by her Canadian Governors. It is, however, the authority, legitimacy, prestige and neutrality conferred by the Queen on the Governors which enable them to exercise these rights effectively. The Crown’s existence in Canada ensures that the Rule of Law is maintained, and does not vary because of the results of an election. The royal character of Canadian society is carried throughout all levels of government service. The Canadian Forces, the Mails, the Civil Service function in the Queen’s name, not on behalf of the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the day. Federal and Provincial Oaths reflect this impartiality, and the proud allegiance of the Forces, judiciary, police officers and public servants. Kingship sets up an ideal of justice and conduct for people to live by. Ultimately this is a greater protection for civil liberties than any written document. The fact that authority comes from the Queen, not from "the people", has been one of the most important factors in shaping the attitudes of Canadians. It is only necessary to consider the differences between the settlement of the Canadian and American Wests to appreciate the point.

A Shared Monarchy

By sharing our Monarch with 16 other countries, Canadians participate in a global civilization that encompasses peoples of widely varying conditions from around the world. Through her office and her person, the Queen reflects a civilized character that transcends nationalism. This civilized character preserves and yet reconciles the distinct contribution to the development of Canada made by our aboriginal peoples, by the French settlers, by the British settlers, and, more recently, by people of widely varying ethnic origins. The Queen is skilled in separating her duties as Queen of Canada, Jamaica, etc., from her role as Queen of the United Kingdom. In Canada, as in each of the Realms, she acts only on the advice of her Canadian constitutional advisors, the Ministry of the day. A shared monarchy and the Commonwealth of Nations of which the Queen is Head, comprise a quarter of the world’s people.

The Monarchy Unites English and French Canada

The French-Canadian tradition, in common with the British and other European traditions, is also monarchical. French-Canadians have chosen the Monarchy several times in their history: their cultural and religious leaders rejected overtures to join the rebellious colonists during the American Revolution; in 1867 they participated enthusiastically in the choice of a monarchy under the present Royal House as the form of government of the newly created Canadian kingdom; at the First Ministers Conference of February 1979 the Quebec Premier reiterated his position that as long as Quebec remained within Confederation the province insisted on retaining the Queen as a restraint on excessive centralisation. Among the historic names of French Canada who have at some time spoken out for the Crown are Bishop Briand, Sir Étienne Tâché, Sir George Étienne Cartier, Joseph Israel Tarte, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Roaul Dandurand, Camillien Houde, Ernest Lapointe, Maurcie Duplessis, Jean Lesage, Réal Caouette and Jean Chrétien. Queen Elizabeth II is a fluent speaker of the French language (as are Prince Philip and other members of the Royal Family). At St. Pierre, Manitoba, in 1970, Her Majesty stated: "It is agreeable to me to think that there exists in our Commonwealth a country where I can express myself officially in French". The early history of her Royal House is closely bound up with that of the French Crown and French culture. Once, when visiting the American republic, Prince Philip by reminding Americans of the special bilingual character of the Canadian state, represented French-Canadian interests internationally.

Family of All Canadians

The diversity of the Royal Family’s origins has a special message for our multicultural society. Among the strains that can be identified in the backgrounds of the Queen, the Prince of Wales and Prince William are Albanian, Arab, Armenian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Lithuanian, Mongol, Norman, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Scottish, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Swiss, Tartar, Ukrainian and Welsh. It was the Crown in fact which fostered the first multicultural immigration to Canada--that of the Loyalists, Young Princes William and Henry of Wales and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York now also combine in their persons descent from both the French and British Sovereigns of Canada. "I want the Crown to be seen as a symbol of national sovereignty belonging to all," the Queen said in Toronto in 1973. "It is not only a link between Commonwealth nations, but between Canadian citizens of every national origin and ancestry." The Crown prevents the rights of any minority from being legitimately trampled upon by a majority. The historic affectionate relationship between Sovereign and native peoples is testimony to this.

What Does The Monarchy Cost Canadians

The Monarchy actually costs Canadians nothing because even if we did not have it we would still have to maintain a presidential establishment. Recent examples of presidencies indicate that they would probably cost much more. For Canada at present, the Monarchy involves a small outlay for royal engagements and tours, and the modest Households and expenses of the Governor-General and the provincial Lieutenant-Governors--a figure estimated at about one dollar per person per year. The Canadian taxpayer contributed nothing to the personal expenses of our Queen or any member of our Royal Family.

Bringing Out The Best In Us

Vincent Massey said the Monarchy was best described as "a kind of society where, by a special personal symbolism, the community seeks to remind itself of its oneness and of its corporate will to see and cherish excellence wherever it may be found." Certainly the many aspects of our life touched today by the Monarchy demonstrate encouragement of the right kind of elitism. In her travels across the country, the Queen personally meets many individual Canadians, thereby enhancing their sense of belonging to a dignified social and political community, Out of this mutual recognition between subject and Sovereign springs a sense of personal loyalty and honourable behaviour. Toronto’s Princess Margaret Hospital and Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre are leaders in their respective fields; the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre is one of the newest foundations in the North; Princess Alexandra is patron of our world-famous Osborne and Lillian H. Smith Collections of children’s books; ‘People in an Industrial Society’ was the theme of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Fifth Commonwealth Study Conference organised in Canada in 1980; Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother is patron of the Victorian Order of Nurses; the Queen Elizabeth II Fund to Aid in Research on the Diseases of Children has been making a contribution to the field of medicine since 1959; Charles, Prince of Wales, is Colonel-in-Chief of Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), and many other members of the Royal Family are linked with units of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Queen is Patron of several leading independent schools, such as Winnipeg’s St. John’s-Ravenscourt; she accorded "Royal" status in 1989 to St. George’s College, Toronto, while Prince Philip is Visitor of Upper Canada College and Prince Andrew is Patron of Lakefield College School. In 1992, Prince Edward became Patron of Regina’s Globe Theatre. These are but a few examples and do not include the many organisations designated "Royal" that are known to us all.

The Royal Anthem

Canada has both a Royal Anthem and a National Anthem. "God Save the Queen" is the Royal Anthem. It forms part of royal and viceregal salutes and can be sung or played on any occasion. It is a prayer to God to protect the Queen of Canada, just as O Canada is a prayer that God keep the land of Canada. The Royal Anthem first became a popular song in 1745 at the time of the Jacobite uprising and soon began to be used officially. It has therefore been sung and played in Canada almost exactly as long as it has in Britain. For nearly 250 years it has been a part of Canadian life. Many times the House of Commons has risen to sing "God Save the Queen" on great national occasions (completion of the national railway 1855, adoption of the National Flag Resolution 1964). No Royal Anthem could be more appropriate for Canada than "God Save the Queen" because its roots lie in both the French and British monarchies. In 1686 King Louis XIV visited the young women’s academy of St. Cyr and was welcomed with the anthem "Grand Dieu sauvez le roi" sung to music by Lully, quite likely the tune we sing today. It is the most famous tune in the world and has been used in many countries. The tune is the national anthem of Switzerland and the words and tune are the Royal Anthem of Norway. The official French text was authorised for the Queen’s coronation in 1953. O Canada, our National Anthem, also has a royal origin. It was first performed for the 1880 visit to Quebec City by the Marquis of Lorne, son-in-law of Queen Victoria and Governor-General of Canada.

[mrbiggs]

Um...do you Canadians and Brits really have to capitalize "She"? As in "He rested on the seventh day?"

Just curious.

[civiltech]

Um...do you Canadians and Brits really have to capitalize "She"? As in "He rested on the seventh day?"

Just curious.

Only for someone of distinction like The Queen. Normally, we would not capitalize "she."

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

Nitpick: The Norwegians have their own anthem, not the same as "God save The Queen". I have read the score of the former, and of course heard the latter.

Minor note: royality is denoted with big letters in other languages of monarchist countries too.

Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson