Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; Camila, Duchess of Cornwall and Charles, Prince of Wales during their meeting in Ottawa this Tuesday DPA via Europa Press (Europa Press)
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall ended a visit to Canada on Thursday. The couple arrived Tuesday and conducted activities in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Ottawa – the federal capital – and the Northwest Territories. In the first hours of this trip, Prince Charles declared that he and his mother felt close ties to the North American country. “Personally, Canada and Canadians have held a very special place in my life since I first came here more than half a century ago,” he said. “I’ve seen again and again what makes this country really great: its people and what they stand for,” he added. It is the nineteenth time he has set foot on Canadian soil.
Prince Charles has risen to prominence lately due to the Queen’s health issues. The trip to Canada took place as part of the celebrations of Elizabeth II’s 70th birthday as monarch. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has at various times emphasized his country’s “historic relationship” with the British Crown. The Canadian Confederation was founded in 1867. The government of Pierre Elliott Trudeau – father of the current prime minister – returned the power to amend its own constitution in 1982. However, Queen Isabel II remained head of state. His official representation in the country falls on the figure of the governor general.
One issue that featured prominently on the agenda of Prince Charles and Camilla of Cornwall was reconciliation between Canada and its indigenous peoples. The couple met with leaders from some of these communities in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada and the first Indigenous person to hold the office. They also attended a ceremony commemorating the Indigenous children who lived in the old network of federal boarding schools.
“I know our visit this week comes at an important time as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples across Canada make a commitment to reflect honestly and openly on the past and to build a new relationship for the future,” said the Prince of Welsh .
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, said she supports calls by various indigenous leaders and boarders for the monarchy to apologize for its role in these centres. Prime Minister Trudeau preferred to emphasize the trip as “a good opportunity” for Prince Charles and Camila to speak to various actors on the subject of reconciliation.
Another important topic was environmental protection. The Prince and Duchess attended a meeting on economic solutions to climate change in Ottawa. In Yellowknife and Detah, cities in the Northwest Territories, they heard about the impact of rising temperatures on people in that geographic area and met with food producers who are using innovative techniques. The trip to Canada also included a meeting with the Ukrainian diaspora, a ceremony in front of the war memorial and a Royal Canadian Mounted Police horse show. A reception was also held in his honor at the Governor General’s residence.
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The debate over Canada’s political and institutional ties to the British Crown is far from new. However, the visit of the Princes of Wales has brought it back up. “Today we are a multicultural society whose colonial ties to the United Kingdom are a distant relic,” columnist Bob Hepburn wrote in the Toronto Star on Wednesday. A poll by the Angus Ried Institute released in late April found that 51% of respondents supported Canada’s secession from the Crown (38% 12 months ago). According to the same survey, Queen Isabel II is the person in the royal family who arouses the most sympathy (63%); Prince William received 60% and his father, the Prince of Wales, 29%. In another part of this exercise, 65% of participants dislike the idea of Prince Charles ascending the throne and 76% oppose Camilla of Cornwall becoming queen.
Justin Trudeau wanted to cool off for a few hours before the couple landed in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Trudeau said Canada has strong institutions “just at a time when democracy is under threat in different parts of the world,” as is the case in Ukraine. “To be honest, my biggest concerns are the cost of living and climate change. Not many people talk to me about constitutional changes on a regular basis,” said the Prime Minister of Canada.
Should Canada seriously consider changing its relationship with the monarchy, various experts have suggested that a major constitutional operation would be required. Such a change would require the approval of the House of Commons and Senate; also from the individual federal states, although it is unclear whether the state parliaments could decide or would have to submit to a referendum. In addition, it would have to be determined who would occupy the head of state.
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