The Federal Republic of Canada

[GostHacked]

If any provices start breakig away from Canada, you can bet that the US will gladly take them on and make them another state. Fat chance of any of you getting independence from the rest of Canada. Once that happens Canada is dead as a country and we might as well all become Americans.

I'd say stop the seperatist talk and all start talking together as once voice. If we keep on all this infighting we might as well be as dead as the Separation Party of Alberta.

[Charles Anthony]

If any provices start breakig away from Canada, you can bet that the US will gladly take them on and make them another state.

What is stopping them now?

Why has it not happened already?

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Excellent points! In truth it is because there simply isn't sufficient demographics at this point to undertake cutting the country up.

But it is really up to the folks in Ontario and Quebec to decide. The rest of the country is a colony of Upper and Lower Canada, lets face the reality here. You folks have the population and you have the political system in your favor over there. We are a minority that can be abused at will according to the law of the land. Of course that won't breed the cooperative environment that Canada both wants and needs but it is the case even so. All it is going to take is leadership for Alberta to go out on its own.

[August1991]

One can imagine.

If Harper proposed an elected Senate, and a federal Republic - he'd ensure a viable two-party democracy for Canada's future. He'd be Lincoln without a Civil War.

Remarkable. A wasp PM who speaks French, changes Canada for the better. Imagine.

[Saturn]

One can imagine.

If Harper proposed an elected Senate, and a federal Republic - he'd ensure a viable two-party democracy for Canada's future.

Remarkable. A wasp PM who speaks French, changes Canada for the better. Imagine.

He can propose it. He'll never deliver. It's good vote-buying to propose it and it doesn't cost a penny.

[PolyNewbie]

Canada is still here isn't it?

No, its now almost the NAU. The negotiations are pretty much finished. Our armies have been amalgomated.

Look at the Canadian Action Party website fir details Canadian Action Party

None of the mainstream parties are going to tell you about this.

[geoffrey]

He can propose it. He'll never deliver. It's good vote-buying to propose it and it doesn't cost a penny.

I'm unsure if Senates or Republics are good vote buyers. While some may switch in favour of these things, I'm more convinced that it would alienate the "but I like things like they are" crowd.

[Wilber]

If the west continues to grow economically and in population at a greater rate than the rest of the country, the political status quo will be unsustainable. I don't know when that will be or how we will correct it but without reforms, unity will be in real trouble.

A good example is California. It started out as a territory, dwarfed by eastern populations and their economies. It is now the most populous and wealthiest state in the Union. The American system has allowed its political influence to reflect that change. There will come a time when we will have to do the same or the country will likely fail.

[g_bambino]

If Harper proposed an elected Senate, and a federal Republic - he'd ensure a viable two-party democracy for Canada's future. He'd be Lincoln without a Civil War.

Remarkable. A wasp PM who speaks French, changes Canada for the better. Imagine.

Changes Canada for the better in your mind, and it seems what you think better for Canada is greater Americanization; elected senate, federal republic, Lincoln, civil war? Really, one would think you lived in North Carolina rather than Quebec.

Harper's a monarchist - self admittedly too - so there's no chance of him creating your dream republic. Further, it wouldn't get any politician any votes anyway; Canadians simply aren't interested in shifting their constitutional system. For one, there's no more independence for us to fight for (hence, no rebellion), and secondly, I guess the fact that what we have works with relatively little complaint is the litmus test of any system.

If the west continues to grow economically and in population at a greater rate than the rest of the country, the political status quo will be unsustainable. I don't know when that will be or how we will correct it but without reforms, unity will be in real trouble.

This may be so, however we need not become a republic to institute governmental change. In fact, I'd wager, strongly, that such a move would only cause further division, not greater unity. The process of attaining a republic would be divisive to start with, and even if it could be achieved, a regionalised and politicised head of state would only add one more contentious personality to the upper echelons of our government - the pinnacle of our government, actually. It's simply a bad proposal with very poor motives.

[jdobbin]

One can imagine.

If Harper proposed an elected Senate, and a federal Republic - he'd ensure a viable two-party democracy for Canada's future. He'd be Lincoln without a Civil War.

Remarkable. A wasp PM who speaks French, changes Canada for the better. Imagine.

Are all federal Republics two party states?

Are all two party states better places?

[madmax]

Canada is still here isn't it?

No, its now almost the NAU. The negotiations are pretty much finished. Our armies have been amalgomated.

Look at the Canadian Action Party website fir details Canadian Action Party

None of the mainstream parties are going to tell you about this.

What are you talking about? The Liberals and Conservatives have been promoting Economic Integration for 2 decades. Liberals have been talking Free Trade for over a Century. The only difference is the Conservatives joined them. Security has come to the forefront because of the concerns of its negative impact on trade.

However, you are hyping things up, and make it seem like their is some secret movement occurring. It is no secret, it is the direction this country is going.

Like the "National" Party, the Canada Action Party holds a vision closer to Conservatives of the Sir John A MacDonald or John Diefenbaker mold. Nationalist and Independant.

But unlike the original Conservative Party, the CAP couldn't get as many votes today as Sir John A got in 1867 when only male landowners where allowed to vote.

That said, the closet thing to this version of Nationalism in a mainstream party is the NDP.

[August1991]

Some barmaid describes Canada's next Head of State:

"He put on this weird blue knee-length sarong which had bright orange tassels hanging below his knees," says Katherine.

"It was hilarious. We couldn't stop laughing and making fun of him.

"I asked him if that was his special bedtime skirt. He didn't answer and so I can only assume it was what he normally wore. And nothing else.

"He'd taken his grey boxers off. They were balled up on his bed."

....

"He seemed offended and started going on and on, asking, ‘Why won't you kiss me?'

"He went and peed then immediately came right back up to me and tried to kiss me on the lips again.

"I wouldn't say he was being forceful — but he was really trying it on." But Katherine and her pal Kate did agree to leave the club with Harry at 4am for his place, a four-bedroom house he'd rented in neighbouring Citadel, where they cuddled up together.

"Harry and four of his pals were staying there while his bodyguards had the house next door.

"When he had his shirt off I noticed a large pink crescent-shaped burn mark around his nipple shaped like half a wine glass.

"He said he and his buddies like to set sambucas alight and cup the glass over their nipples until the flames go out. I thought, ‘Crazy. Ouch'.

By 6am, Katherine was ready to leave. "Harry begged me to stay and sleep there over and over. But I got Kate out of the bedroom and we called a cab and left, with me giving Harry my number before he kissed me goodbye." He phoned her three times over the next three days, leaving a message calling himself Gary.

British tabloid

Who is paying for the rented house for this guy and his bodyguards? And where did he get tthe money to pay for the drinks?

Why don't we just cut to the chase and hire Paris Hilton as our Queen?

[Michael Bluth]

I can't see plans for a Republic being a big vote winner.

I believe the majority of Canadians would favour Canada becoming a republic.

But those who favour a republic status don't really care that much.

While the small minority of Monarchists in the country care about it above almost everything else.

The only way Canada becomes a republic is if the UK pushes the issue.

[Remiel]

Some barmaid describes Canada's next Head of State

Did William die when I wasn't looking or something?

[ScottSA]

Some barmaid describes Canada's next Head of State

Did William die when I wasn't looking or something?

No, and Charles didn't either.

[Remiel]

Exactly.

[geoffrey]

Who is paying for the rented house for this guy and his bodyguards? And where did he get tthe money to pay for the drinks?

His officer pay of course! Don't you know that all military officers get a complement of bodyguards and a house to stay in when off base picking up local women??

[Mad_Michael]

I'd vote firmly against any republican crap.

Better the devil we know than the one we don't. At least our Head of State doesn't embarrass us on a regular basis and it costs Canadians practically nothing.

Creating an elected Presidency with its own palace and expenses plus a fat travel budget. And what do we get from this that we are not already getting?

Just another symbolic issue to waste money on and argue about.

[Michael Bluth]

I'd vote firmly against any republican crap.

Better the devil we know than the one we don't. At least our Head of State doesn't embarrass us on a regular basis and it costs Canadians practically nothing.

Creating an elected Presidency with its own palace and expenses plus a fat travel budget. And what do we get from this that we are not already getting?

Why would the expenses be higher than those of the Governor General?

All though there could be unintended consequences I don't see expenses as a major issue.

[capricorn]

A few days ago, I received a call from a pollster. The poll was conducted by CROP. The question was whether I would agree to the occasional replacement of the image of the Queen on Canadian coins with images of famous Canadians. All the questions stressed that this switch would be temporary in nature.

As I was responding to the questions, I was thinking that if this temporary initiative by the Royal Canadian Mint receives approval, it would eventually become permanent. Just on this premise, I responded I am not in favour.

I am not a staunch monarchist. I really don't know how I would react if a concerted effort was made to transform Canada into a republic. I have never really given it much thought. For one thing, I'll be long gone before this question is seriously debated in Canada.

The one concern I have is the systematic dismantling of our traditions and symbols. For example, the Christmas tree, once a central symbol for many Canadians celebrating this holiday, is gradually being eradicated from schools and government buildings. The motive for nixing the Christmas tree is to respect the sensibilities of other religious groups. If you voice your opposition to this, you are branded and put in an "ism" category.

Another example is the removal of "Royal" from DND terminology. As I recall, this was done unilaterally by the Government without public input. Some of the most vocal opponents have been members of the Canadian Forces, but to no avail.

Incremental steps are being taken to distance us from the monarchy. Again, it's not so much that I am opposed to some of these measures. I just think more consultation should take place with Canadians before these decisions are made. And please, stop pretending some of these initiatives are "temporary". I've been around to long to be fooled by that one.

[g_bambino]

A few days ago, I received a call from a pollster. The poll was conducted by CROP. The question was whether I would agree to the occasional replacement of the image of the Queen on Canadian coins with images of famous Canadians. All the questions stressed that this switch would be temporary in nature.

The one concern I have is the systematic dismantling of our traditions and symbols.

There are two main consequences to the proposals pushed by republicans: constitutional and cultural. The former is easy enough to identify: what body replaces the Queen as the country's executive authority, how is the co-sovereignty of the provinces ensured, with what will Native treaties be made, etc.? But the latter is somewhat more difficult to predict as tradition and symbols are more emotionally charged than logically established.

I find that the removal of Canadian monarchical symbols goes hand in hand with the establishment of bland, mediocre, politically correct and corporate concepts and icons in their place. I can only predict that, based on this trend, the final act of legal regicide will result in the founding of a bureaucratic, cynical, partisan presidency with no connection to Canada's past, let alone present. This, I think, would reflect both out to the international community and inwards to ourselves that we are a people with little regard for our own long-standing institutions or our own common history, the very thing that mature nations embrace and immature ones wish they had. We'd be left feeing historically and culturally neutered; the national equivalent of a eunuch, with all the associated ambiguity, confusion and lack of identity.

Wouldn't Paris Hilton just be the perfect living embodiment of all that?

[geoffrey]

Traditions be damned, take the Queen off everything. I'm not subject to some heriditary rule. What foolishness.

Time to get rid of that ancient organization.

[capricorn]

Traditions be damned, take the Queen off everything. I'm not subject to some heriditary rule. What foolishness.

Time to get rid of that ancient organization.

Ancient? As far as I can see, Canada became a Dominion of the British Commonwealth by virtue of the Treaty of Paris in 1763. That's 244 years ago. For me, ancient means the pyramids in Egypt or the Coliseum in Rome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_%281763%29

In 1999, it was revealed that the federal government was considering the idea of changing Canada to a republic. When this information was leaked to the media and public, there was some negative reaction, and even denial by the Prime Minister. A survey of the provincial premiers at the time showed only one in favour of such a move.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_in_Canada#History

Geoffrey, we may be ages apart, but I don't think we'll see Canada as a Republic in our lifetime.

[August1991]

There are two main consequences to the proposals pushed by republicans: constitutional and cultural. The former is easy enough to identify: what body replaces the Queen as the country's executive authority, how is the co-sovereignty of the provinces ensured, with what will Native treaties be made, etc.?

That's easy. The Canadian federal republic will inherit these obligations as embodied in the person of the president. If need be, we could recognize the sovereignty of a provincial president, governor or even governor-general. Holland (a monarchy) and France (a republic) are both subject (in certain areas) to the European parliament. Notably, they both accept to defer to the European Central Bank.

IOW, Ontario could remain a monarchy while Quebec could become a republic. The provincial flag of Ontario has the Union Jack while Quebec uses a symbol of the French royal family.

I find that the removal of Canadian monarchical symbols goes hand in hand with the establishment of bland, mediocre, politically correct and corporate concepts and icons in their place.

WTF?

Bland like Prince Phillip? Or bland like Prince Harry? And speaking of corporate concepts, are you referring to the corporate chain of Cowboy Bars? Prince Harry's behaviour is as vapid as the behaviour of Paris Hilton - perhaps moreso. She at least has a porno video circulating on the Internet.

Wouldn't Paris Hilton just be the perfect living embodiment of all that?

She'd give Prince Harry a run for his money. In fact, maybe they should marry and then we could name them King and Queen.

----

My argument against the monarchy had two sides. First, the monarchy is based on nepotism and in the 21st century, that is not a sound way to run a country. Second, the British monarchy is offensive (or simply irrelevant) to many Canadians for historical reasons.

The shenanigans and obnoxiousness of this king-in-waiting (as well as the rest of this so-called royal family) just make my argument more glaring.

[gc1765]

I've gotta agree with geoffrey on this one:

Traditions be damned, take the Queen off everything. I'm not subject to some heriditary rule. What foolishness.

Time to get rid of that ancient organization.