And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (S.I.S.I.S.) writes:
DITCHING THE CROWN NO EASY TASK, SAY EXPERTS
Canadian Press, December 19, 1998 by Bruce Cheadle
[S.I.S.I.S. note: The following mainstream news article may contain biased
or distorted information and may be missing pertinent facts and/or context.
It is provided for reference only.]
OTTAWA (CP) -- A constitutional expert from the University of Saskatchewan
had one question when told senior federal government officials are pitching
a break with the monarchy as a potential Canadian millennium project:
"Which millennium?"
Constitutional analysts were unanimous Friday that ditching Canada's
historic head of state would be a momentously complex task that won't
happen in the next year. "It's not just a question of whiting out the word
Queen and putting in president or something," said David Smith, a professor
of political studies who has written two books on the subject.
Peter Donolo, director of communications in the Prime Minister's Office,
confirmed Friday there is some sentiment within Liberal ranks to cut ties
to the British monarchy. But he added the issue has never been taken to
cabinet nor are there current plans to press ahead. Smith, whose book The
Republican Option in Canada, Past and Present is to be published next
spring, said the Crown still maintains certain theoretical powers to
protect the Constitution from abuse by politicians. Those powers include
dissolving Parliament and signing government bills into law.
"The debate very quickly shifts from it being nice to be a republic, and
Canada should be or shouldn't be, to the much more practical and difficult
question of what to do about powers," said Smith. He noted that Australia,
which will hold a referendum on becoming a republic next year, has been
debating the changes for six years. Currently the Governor General is a
figurehead who follows the wishes of the elected government. Replacing that
Crown institution, however, would require redefining its historic role.
"Most observers of Canadian federalism feel there is an executive
domination of the system," said Joseph Magnet, a law professor at the
University of Ottawa. Magnet believes any move to abolish the Crown would
have to address the excessive power in the hands of the prime minister and
cabinet in our current parliamentary system. If it didn't, abolishing the
monarchy would never sell in the 10 provincial legislatures where any
constitutional change must unanimously be approved. "It's very far-fetched
to think there would be a grand constitutional round ... over this picky
little (monarchy) thing," said Magnet. Yet a senior government source said
Friday that's exactly the scenario envisioned by those who support cutting
ties to the monarchy as a millennium project. The constitutional change
could be pitched along the lines of the bilateral, education amendments to
the Constitution recently worked out between Ottawa and Newfoundland and
Quebec.
Monarchists, needless-to-say, are not amused. "Who would float such a
thing a year before the millennium if they really are serious about
achieving the most fundamental change to Canada since we came into
existence?" asked John Aimers of the Monarchist League of Canada. Aimers
vowed that cutting ties to the British Crown would make the national unity
squabbles of the last 30 years "look like church picnics."
Ontario Premier Mike Harris expressed a rather more phlegmatic opinion
Friday: "I would think beginning with health care and education and
deficits and taxes and jobs and the economy and the environment and the
homeless and helping people, there surely must be 100 things on our plates
that Canadians and Ontarians would like us to turn our mind to, other than
that," said Harris.
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In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is
distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed
a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit
research and educational purposes only.
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S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty
P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2
EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html
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