What's the deal with you Canadians and the English royal family?

"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
03/25/2020 at 14:40 • Filed to: None

Ya’ll got Grams on your money and everything. My coworkers in the North all have an opinion on whether Prince Charles has Covid-19 or not.

DISCUSSION (24)

For Sweden > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 14:48

That’s the Canadian Royal family

Kinja'd!!!

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 14:52

Technically Canada is part of the British E mpire, or not depending on who you talk to.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 14:54

I dunno who the “E nglish” Royals are, but the British Royals are our Royals. The Queen is our head of state (via the Governor General)

CB > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 14:57

We're still part of the Commonwealth. The Queen is the head of state, represented by the Governor General. It's very much a ceremonial position, but laws require royal assent to be passed.

CalzoneGolem > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
03/25/2020 at 14:58

This is kinda how I’m reading it.

CalzoneGolem > For Sweden
03/25/2020 at 14:58

But like ... really though?

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
03/25/2020 at 15:01

Yo u’d say such a progressive country would've been sick of constantly answering "Yasss Queen!" by now.

CalzoneGolem > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
03/25/2020 at 15:01

I don’t understand how that works. Do Canadian officials work with the Queen? Does she make laws in Canada? I genuinely have no idea how it works and am curious.

RPM esq. > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 15:08

It works via a series of complicated legal fictions. The Wikipedia entry on the subject is surprisingly good: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Canada

CalzoneGolem > CB
03/25/2020 at 15:12

TIL

ranwhenparked > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 15:14

The Queen is the Queen of Canada, it’s a totally separate role from her position as Queen of the United Kingdom (there hasn’t been any Queen of England since 1707). Canada has been completely independent of the UK since 1981.

Since she lives in Britain pretty much all time time, she’s represented by the Governor General, who acts in her place.

As in the UK, all laws are passed in her name, with the Governor General giving them Royal assent on her behalf, and the government is considered to be "her" government.

CalzoneGolem > ranwhenparked
03/25/2020 at 15:16

Thanks for that.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 15:18

RPMs post helps for the long story.

Short story, she's a figurehead but if she told us to go to war we'd technically have to

imadick > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 15:20

Only legally and ceremonially. In practice she gives her power to a representative chosen by the Prime Minister (this would be the Governor General). And even that representative has no real power, it’s a ceremonial appointment given to deserving citizens (the current GG is an engineer and ex-astronaut) . New legislature has to be given Royal Ass ent before it can become a law . In theory the Crown could stop something from becoming law, but that will never happen.

For Sweden > imadick
03/25/2020 at 15:28

In the same way I let my house sitter run the place when I’m doing more important things.

duurtlang > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 17:18

It’s like what we have in the Netherlands. The monarchy is a mascot, that's all . It’s tradition. The monarch has no power, we are a democracy. If the monarch screws up unforgivingly, we’ll be a republic in no time.

Svend > CalzoneGolem
03/25/2020 at 18:21

While it’s no longer called the British Commonwealth officially, it is now called the Commonwealth of Nations which is 54 nations who have (in the majority part) been part of the British Empire, a small few who have no connection have asked and joined the Commonwealth of Nations. The head is Her Majesty and also while it used to be a given the head would be the British reigning monarch, since it became the CoN, it is now an elected representative, but so far has been the reigning monarch, but it does not mean whomever ascends the throne next will automatically become the head.

In common language it’s often called the British Commonwealth, and is a group of Nations that voluntarily come together for trade, protection, aid, etc... each other however we can, while it is voluntary to be a member, you can be suspended from it like South Africa was during apartheid, etc...

It can be confusing to people that didn’t grow up with it.

pip bip - choose Corrour > CalzoneGolem
03/26/2020 at 01:29

we in Australia also have Her Maj on our bank notes. (only the $5 one)

CalzoneGolem > Svend
03/26/2020 at 08:04

I forget that not everyone rejected the monarchy as vehemently as the United States did lol.

CalzoneGolem > pip bip - choose Corrour
03/26/2020 at 08:09

I’d think Australians wouldn’t be so keen to have her on thei r money.

pip bip - choose Corrour > CalzoneGolem
03/26/2020 at 08:11

only Aust Republican Movement people think like that.

we monarchists want to retain her.

Svend > CalzoneGolem
03/26/2020 at 08:25

In the most part it’s the U.S. and Ireland that , Though Her Majesty does keep getting letters from some wanting the U.K. to retake ‘British West Florida’ (Florida, parts of Louisia na, Mississippi and Alabama) and be British again.

She never replies. Lol.

Mozambique (former Portugese colony) and Rwanda (former Belgian colony) asked to join and since have.

CalzoneGolem > Svend
03/26/2020 at 13:37

Louisiana is way to French for you guys but you can totally have Florida.

Svend > CalzoneGolem
03/26/2020 at 14:34

I've read their plan or whatever it is you want to call it. They want the queen as head of state, etc... But they don't want any British laws, keep U.S. laws, etc... well it's all a mess we don't want to be part of. Lol.