The leader of the Bloc Quebecois has tabled a motion in the House of Commons for Canada to cut its ties with the British monarchy, calling the constitutional form of government “racist” and “slave-driven.”
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet called the monarchy “archaic” and a “thing of the past.” He says the constitutional form is “humiliating” and urged other Canadian MPs to take the proper steps to sever ties with the British Crown.
À la demande du @BlocQuebecois, le Parlement canadien débattra toute la journée sur l’abolition de la monarchie. Les partis fédéraux voteront sur le sujet demain.
Notre député @ATherrienBQ vous explique ici 👇 pic.twitter.com/xdJn5Ro4sL
— Bloc Québécois (@BlocQuebecois) October 25, 2022
Referring to Canada’s new sovereign, Blanchet says King Charles III is a “foreigner who knows nothing about Canada” and says he would struggle to pass the country’s citizenship test.
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The motion — which was tabled on Tuesday — is much more complex to enact. Under Canada’s Constitution, all provinces, territories, and both houses of Parliament would need to unanimously consent to cut ties with the Crown.
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The Bloc says a “very large majority” of Quebecers believe it is “important to free” itself from the monarchy and “its costly symbolism, now is the perfect time to finally take action.”
Critics of the Bloc’s motion in the House are calling it a meaningless political stunt to gain traction. Specifically, Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus said the initiative is the BQ trying to gain popularity and appear in media headlines.
Several MPs are questioning whether a separatist party should have any stake in deciding who gets to symbolically lead Canada.
Comme une très grande majorité de Québécois, le Bloc croit important de se libérer de la monarchie britannique et de sa coûteuse symbolique. Et le moment est parfait pour enfin passer à l’action!
Vous êtes d’accord? 👍
Ajoutez votre nom👇https://t.co/f0c71YGCkZ pic.twitter.com/DNmylTq8X5— Bloc Québécois (@BlocQuebecois) October 25, 2022
Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureaux says Canadians have other pressing issues, citing inflation, affordable housing, healthcare, and climate change, as issues the House should focus on.
Blanchet says politicians are “able to talk about more than one thing at a time,” and laments that members of his party have been forced to swear allegiance to a “conquering empire,” making their oaths to the Crown, “meaningless.”
He concluded that members of the Bloc are devoted to their oaths to Quebec citizens, not the British Crown.
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