Posts Tagged ‘ British monarchy in Canada ’

Let’s put David Thompson and wife on 25-year-old loonie .. to celebrate the real history of Canada

Jul 6th, 2012 | By | Category: Heritage Now

This past Saturday, June 30, 2012, marked “25 years since Canada ditched its one-dollar bill in favour of a gold-coloured coin.” Every time I go to the United States, I still remember the alternative convenience of having several lightweight $1 bills in your pocket. I nonetheless agree that “while the move was somewhat controversial at […]



Canada Day 2012 : Duff Conacher, Helen Forsey, Michaëlle Jean, Percy Robinson (again), and maple leaf flag tattoos

Jun 30th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

On Canada Day 2012 a recent welcome comment from the unsung great historian of French and Indian Toronto’s great granddaughter has drawn our attention back to an earlier posting on “Canada Day 2009 : Percy Robinson and the reluctant Canadian republic.” Three years ago we urged that Percy James Robinson (1873—1953 and, among many other […]



Last days of British empire in Argentina .. and Canada too?

Jun 22nd, 2012 | By | Category: Canadian Republic

Current Argentine president Cristina Kirchner, widow of former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner, is viewed by many observers of such things as one of the “Hottest Female World Leaders” extant. So you might think that when she and UK Prime Minister David Cameron bumped into each other at the G20 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, earlier […]



Mulcair melodies on oil sands fever .. and other new Canadian body parts that blossomed while we were away

May 30th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

A week can be a long time in politics, as the legend has it. And getting back to the home and native land from the counterweights Western Europe conference circuit suggests that two weeks and a few days can be even longer. It’s almost as if since we’ve gone the nights of Canadian politics have […]



Is the monarchy mystique really reviving in Canada .. or was Ricky Gervais just right about Kate and Kim?

Apr 30th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

This past Friday Canada’s self-confessed national newspaper revealed that “Britain’s Prince William and his wife Catherine will be celebrating their first wedding anniversary on Sunday … Intolerable media intrusion was cited by many sources as the reason the couple broke up in 2007, but they soon got back together and married in a global ceremony […]



“A great day for Canada” .. the common compensations of living in a marginal democracy, at the edge of the wilderness

Mar 7th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

“Today,” my wife remarked as we were getting up, “is the original ‘great day for Canada.’” Having acquired much familiarity with our nuclear family legends, I knew what she meant. But I asked the obvious dumb question anyway: “You mean,” I said, “that this is your grandfather’s birthday?” (My knowledge of the legends  does not […]



The setting sun: Greg Barns and Henry Pill on the British monarch as head of state in Australia, Canada, and Jamaica

Feb 13th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

Stephen Harper’s new passion for restoring the British monarchy to the kind of position it enjoyed in Canada before the Second World War may be impressing a few people in other parts of the global village today. But others who watch Canadian current events remain unconvinced. On Saturday, February 4, 2012, eg, Greg Barns and […]



Liberals vote to keep monarchy .. and lose some current and future supporters (present company not excepted)!

Jan 15th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

In a number of respects the Liberal Party of Canada biennial convention in Ottawa this weekend has been a surprising success. It was, eg, attended by some 3,200 delegates – considerably more than expected. As Jane Taber has also reported: “The party had wanted to show it can reinvent itself by becoming more open. It […]



Is Mulcair taking the lead in federal NDP race (and will Crawley be new Liberal Party of Canada President)?

Jan 10th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

[UPDATED JANUARY 18]. The main event in Canadian progressive politics this week is the biennial convention of the federal Liberals in Ottawa – Friday, January 13 to Sunday, January 15.  Our first big hope here is that the Grits in their wisdom vote YES for resolution 114 : “Canadian Identity in the 21st Century … […]



If step-by-step reform is good for the Senate, why not the monarchy too?

Jan 6th, 2012 | By | Category: Canadian Republic

At their biennial convention next weekend the federal Liberals will be debating a policy resolution on the Canadian future of the British monarchy, at the democratic reforming behest of the Young Liberals of Canada.. The resolution is officially known as “114. Canadian Identity in the 21st Century.” Its operative section reads: “BE IT RESOLVED that […]