Spring Summer 2002 CMN
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Canadian Monarchist News Les Nouvelles Monarchiques du Canada Spring/Summer 2002 Vol. 7 No. 1 The Monarchist League of Canada La Ligue Monarchiste du Canada Publication Mail Poste-publications #1405187 P.O. Box 1057, Oakville, Ontario, Canada L6J 5E9 C.P.A. ST-LAURENT, QC. 905-855-7262 (800) 465-6925 www.monarchist.ca THE MONARCHIST LEAGUE OF CANADA – 32nd ANNIVERSARY 1970-2002 Canadians NEW NATIONAL POLLS Celebrate the SHOW CANADIANS Lives of The Queen Mother SUPPORT MONARCHY 2-1 & Princess 63%-30% FAVOUR RETENTION IN COMPAS SURVEY 79% SUPPORT CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY – IPSOS-REID POLL Margaret SYMPATHY FOR THE QUEEN, YOUNGEST CANADIANS ARE STRONGEST SUPPORTERS FLAGS NEARLY UNIVERSALLY UPWARD SUPPORT TREND UNMISTAKABLE: POLLS TAKEN BEFORE ROYAL DEATHS AT HALF-MAST Canadians joined The Queen and A Brief Analysis & Comment Mon archists in Golden Jubilee Year! The The same poll shows that 48% of Royal Family in sympathy at the deaths by John Aimers survey also showed that only 18% felt respondents think The Queen is doing of HRH Princess Margaret on February Polls released by major Canadian news strongly – and 12% moderately – that the best job amongst the members of the 9th and of HM Queen Elizabeth The organizations around Accession Day – Canada should abolish the Monarchy Royal Family. Of course they do – who Queen Mother on Easter Even, March that is, before any “bubble” favouring the and become a republic. 69% agreed with wouldn’t? This popularity poll is some- 30th. Monarchy either as a result of initial the statement “The government accepts what meaningless. Asked who is doing Coverage of Canadian commemoration celebrations of Golden Jubilee Year or of the Monarchy but doesn’t give it much the worst job, 30% name Charles fol- and reaction to the two Royal deaths begin sympathy for The Queen on account of thought.” continued on page 2 on page 3. her double bereavement – show a remarkable surge in support for the Crown, muted only slightly by some PRINCE MICHAEL anomalous internal inconsistencies in FEDS, SASKATCHEWAN one of the major soundings. ACCLAIMED In the poll commissioned from COM- LEAD GOLDEN JUBILEE PAS by National Post/Global Television, ACROSS CANADA an astonishing 63% “believe the monar- OBSERVANCES 54 ENGAGEMENTS, chy should maintain or strengthen its 19 SPEECHES DURING 12-DAY, role in Canada,” as opposed to 30% who “a...sovereign, faithful and loyal to our people” – Copps 4-PROVINCE TOUR some what or strongly wish to make ROYAL PROCLAMATION ISSUED Canada a republic. That result compares HRH PRESENTS MONARCHIST to 1997-99 Gallup polls which showed MINT, CANADA POST, CBC HONOUR THE QUEEN LEAGUE HONOURS IN TORONTO, monarchical support ranging from 37- ALBERTA, BC, NOVA SCOTIA ALSO MARK JUBILEE CALGARY & VICTORIA 48% and republican sentiment in the 43- In a private visit that 53% range. “SUPPORT FOR MONAR- YUKON OPENS “BOOK OF JUBILATIONS” nonetheless captur ed CHY HIGHEST IN YEARS” ran the sur- ONTARIO COMMEMORATIONS LAG, QUEBEC both media and pub- vey’s sub-headline – not a bad banner for DUBS CELEBRATION “FOLLY” lic attention, His Royal Highness Prince In This Issue As public and private Canadian cele- the federal government in over a genera- Michael of Kent jour- brations of the Golden Jubilee gather tion. neyed across Canada in Canada Post Celebrates steam, the federal government under the “Fifty years after her accession to the March. The Queen’s Golden Jubilee leadership of Heritage Minister Sheila throne, Elizabeth II remains a symbol of Cousin, Grand son of Two new stamps issued . 2 Copps has taken the principal and overt- continuity, stability and tradition in a King George V and Queen Canadian Golden ly-enthusiastic role in promoting wide- world that is under a barrage of constant Mary, traveled under the Jubilee Report spread observance of HM’s 50th year on change,” said the Minister, as she launch - private auspices of John Federal & Provincial observances. 8-11 the Throne. Amongst the provinces, ed the federal programme of Jubilee In - Aimers, who coordinated the tour which was initiated Crowns & Maces Saskatchewan’s long tradition of multi- itia tives in Ottawa on February 20th. In a party support for the Crown coupled National Post interview the day previous, when Her Majesty ap - RCS Essay Contest Ignores Jubilee pointed HRH as IODE Loyal No More?. 14-15 with a singularly-imaginative Protocol Ms. Copps observed “The Queen, and the Office has given it undisputed leadership heritage she gives to us, is not just part of Colonel-in-Chief of the FREE JUBILEE COLOUR in Jubilee programming. our past, but part of our common future... Essex & Kent Scottish PICTURE OF QUEEN – When you’re a mature country, you don’t Regiment, based in Windsor. OTTAWA TURN-AROUND ORDER FORM . 15 need to break your ties with the past.” To the keystone welcome by the Governor General In an astonishing volte-face from Amongst the Ottawa initiatives: Regiment of their new Colonel were Celebrates Jubilee Ottawa’s usually-tepid monarchism, and ● Jubilee Celebration Funds – Govern - added myriad engagements in four Attends League Reception . 22-23 in sharp contrast to the meagre pro- ment financial assistance is being made provinces. The Prince’s demanding pro- gramme ranged from attendance at three Prince Michael’s gramme of Silver Jubilee commemora- available for innovative celebrations dur- Cross-Canada Tour tions in 1977, Ms Copps and materials ing the Celebrate Canada period of June Awards Presentations of the Royal Life Presents League Honours . 24-29 from her Department spoke of the Can - 21-July 1. Saving Society of which HRH is Com - adian Crown in language not heard from continued on page 8 continued on page 24 constitutional monarchy helps to define Poll... Canadian identity, and should continue continued from page 1 to be our form of government.” lowed by the Duke of Edinburgh, The Balanced against these is a bizarrely- CANADA POST CELEBRATES Earl of Wessex, The Duke of York and the contradictory result: 48% strongly/ Princess Royal, each in single figures. some what say the constitutional monar- GOLDEN JUBILEE Two points: the phrasing of the ques- chy is outmoded and should be replaced tion allows for one answer – thus it with a republican form of government COMMEMORATIVE 48-cent STAMP BEING REPRINTED understandably places The Queen in first and an elected head of state as in the OUELLET PROMISES RETURN OF QUEEN DEFINITIVE place. In turn it seems to have depreciat- USA. ed the standing of The Queen Mother, But then 58% state the issue isn’t FOR 2003 who was enormously popular, but who worth the fuss of changing it. GOVERNOR GENERAL ANNIVERSARY STAMP ALSO ISSUED carried out few engagements and was “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” ran the perhaps seen more as a loved symbol subhead on the Globe story – perhaps Popular demand for Canada Post’s than a “working” member of the Royal the only possible conclusion out of this Family. Second, if one invites people to welter of figures. The analysis came from large-sized and singularly attractive first- say who is doing the worst job, it almost the poll director, John Wright, who went class rate commemorative stamp honour- demands an answer. Charles has over- on to observe “[the monarchy] holds the ing The Golden Jubilee has caus ed a break- come most of the antipathy towards him framework together and it makes us unlike ing of precedent by the Corporation. It is in the UK; Canadians see him less fre- the United States. It gives us our own sense quently, hence he faces a more arduous of character and culture.” Readers must having to reprint the stamp in order to task to be seen as an engaging, capable remember that these are the words of a assure supplies available for sale through- future King. The evidence of his recep- neutral pollster, writing to his client, The out Jubilee Year! “As far as we are aware,” tion here last April is nonetheless en - Globe & Mail, which he knows full well a Corporation spokesman told Canadian Monarchist News, “this is couraging from the Monarchist perspec- advocates the republican position! tive. Polls do not make or break an institu- the first time a commemorative stamp has been reprinted in Canada.” One might also share the perspective tion. Properly read, the general trend of The decision was in line with the December 3rd, 2001 announcement that had a poll about the popularity of these two polls is encouraging to the of the printing of the first 15 million stamps – that “additional the then Prince of Wales, Prince Eddy, Monarchist cause. Certainly, they suggest quantities will be printed as needed throughout the calendar year.” the future beloved Edward VII, been a great deal of support for the Crown, a Stock of the Jubilee issue had run out in many parts of the taken at the time of Victoria’s Golden positive trend in that support and no Jubilee, it would have revealed great con- public interest whatsoever in the wrench- country by early Spring. Confusion caused by unavailability of the demnation from a nation scandalized by ing and divisive process of debate and stamp was then compounded by misinformed postal clerks, often his extra-marital romances, involvement constitutional change that would be franchisees rather than employees of Canada Post. They told cus- in a divorce case and a card cheating required to turn Canada into a republic. scandal. What did it mean in the long tomers not only that no more Jubilee stamps would be forthcoming, run? Nothing! Indeed, support for but also that no definitive stamps of The Queen (a definitive is a Victoria herself at the time of her Golden BEHIND THE HEADLINES domestic letter-rate stamp kept in constant stock) would be printed Jubilee might have reflected the strongest Ipsos-Reid regional breakdown of the in 2003 and beyond.