Media release

Canada denied monarchy debate in parliament

Republic discussion thrives everywhere in Commonwealth but Canada

Toronto, May 21, 2010 - This Victoria Day, Citizens for a Canadian Republic is asking the question: Why does Canada stand alone among the major former British colonies as the only nation that hasn't had a parliamentary debate on the monarchy?

"Head of state reform was an issue Canadian republicans were hoping would be of interest to the present government," says Tom Freda, CCR's national director, "especially after Prime Minister Harper's 2005 description of an appointed senate as "a relic of the 19th Century"." "So far," he adds, "we've been disappointed in the lack of interest in further democratic reforms."

Despite national opinion polls that consistently show a majority of Canadians favouring discussion of the monarchy's future, the organization points out that Canada seems content to allow the rest of the Commonwealth to take the lead in planning for the end of the Queen's reign.

In the last year, the Commonwealth has seen two major debates about ending the monarchy: A 2009 republic referendum in the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and in April of this year, New Zealand's parliament contemplated a republic referendum as proposed in the Head of State Bill. Both initiatives did not succeed in their goals but are widely seen as major first steps to future progress.

Lewis Holden, Chair of the Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand, recently provided an analysis of the Head of State Bill in the republican podcast Profile. The interview can be downloaded from the podcast page of CCR's website.

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