Media release

Fotheringham on monarchy: 'Time to wave goodbye.'

Says international community won't regard us as equal" as long as we bow to an overseas foreign entity."

May 15, 2008 -Toronto, ON - The Toronto chapter of Citizens for a Canadian Republic will mark the Victoria Day/Patriots Day weekend with a special speaking engagement tonight featuring the legendary Canadian journalist Allan Fotheringham.

Fotheringham is well-known for his 27 years as Maclean's Magazine back-page columnist, 10 years as a regular panelist on the CBC Television program Front Page Challenge, and lately, his column in the Globe and Mail newspaper. He's been the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Magazine Award for Humour and the National Newspaper Award for column-writing. In 1999, he was inducted into the Canadian News Hall of Fame.

A long-time, outspoken republican, Fotheringham wrote in his 2000 book, Last Page First, "Grown-up nations do not need, as head of state, a woman - however nice - who lives across a large ocean in a castle in a foreign country."

In this intimate 2½ hour speaking event in one of Toronto's most cherished historic venues, Fotheringham will offer his entertaining and thought-provoking views on the British monarchy and why it's high time for Canada to grow up and cut the apron strings to the institution.

Date and Time: Friday, May 16. 7:00 - 9:30 pm.

Location: The historic 1848 Enoch Turner Schoolhouse, 106 Trinity Street, Toronto (King and Parliament Distillery District). If you're coming by transit, the King Street Streetcar stops right at Trinity. If you're coming by car, there is parking on King Street after 6pm, 1 hour only on Trinity, and unlimited on other side streets. There are also 2 municipal lots at King and Power.