Canadian MP vote to cut ties with ‘racist and expensive’ British monarchy fails

Canada’s tie to the monarchy ‘a thing of the past’, the separatist party leader said

Yves-Francois Blanchet wanted to cut ties with the monarchy (Blair Gable/Reuters)

A separatist party in Canada failed to get MPs to approve its motion for severing ties with the British monarchy.

On Wednesday, MPs overwhelmingly voted ‘no’ to Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet’s proposal.

It followed the refusal of 14 recently-elected Quebec politicians to recite an oath of allegiance to King Charles III during their swearing-in to the provincial legislature, which is required by law.

Mr Blanchet said that, following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September, the King’s coronation – set for 6 May 2023 – would be a good time for cutting ties.

He described the British monarchy as “incredibly racist”, expensive, and that Canada’s tie to it is “archaic.”

Bloc Quebecois said the King’s coronation would be about the right time to cut ties (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)

“It is a thing of the past, it is almost archaeological, it is humiliating,” Mr Blanchet said.

In a statement, Mr Blanchet said: “The recent changing of the guard in England is an opportunity for Quebecers and Canadians to free themselves from a dilapidated monarchical link.”

Britain colonised Canada in the late 1500s, and the country remained part of the British empire until 1982.

Now it is a member of the Commonwealth of nations that has the British monarch as head of state in a mainly symbolic role.

Citizens of Quebec, who are French-speaking, feel little connection to the UK – according to Reuters, citing polls.

Prince Edward with brother Andrew behind him, and the Queen in Quebec in 1976 (J. Walter Green/AP)

A growing number of Canadians do not want a foreign monarch to represent them despite deep historical ties to Britain and affection for the Queen. But there is little political will for constitutional reform, the news agency reported.

Some 78 per cent of Canadian MPs had voted against Mr Blanchet’s proposal. A total of 266 voted ‘no’ and 44 MPs voted ‘yes’, while the others abstained.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Blanchet admitted that he had expected his motion to fail, but said it would show Quebecers that federal politicians “prefer to support the King than the people”.

As early as 1970, members of the sovereigntist Parti Quebecois, a separatist provincial political party in Quebec, had openly opposed pledging allegiance to the British monarchy.

Mr Blanchet said many recite the oath only because they have to.

“We are a conquered people that still have to swear allegiance to a conquering King,” he said.