Are Canadians considered British subjects??

[ailsagirl]

[Maple]

1. No, we are Canadian citizens

Canada is an independent country.

[ailsagirl]

3. But you're still tied up with the Queen... ???

Or is she just a figurehead now?

[El Supremo]

11. When they came out with that new Canadian Dollar (the Looney)...

I told everyone that they got the sides reversed. QEII is really the "tail."

My flame retardant suit is on. :grr: :grr:

[Sannum]

2. No

Canada is part of the commonwealth though. Queen Elizabeth is also known as the "Queen of Canada" when she is in the country.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_of_Canada

[ailsagirl]

4. So Elizabeth is the reigning monarch, then-- correct?

[Sannum]

5. yes.

There is more info at the link.

[Maple]

6. Yes,

and after her it will be that wretched Prince Charles...assuming he lives that long. :D

She represents the authority of the state, and we share her with Australia, New Zealand etc. All the countries of the Commonwealth.

She is meant to be the objective state head...above the machinations of petty politicians and the political squabbles of the day.

[Sannum]

7. I don't think Charles will ever be king...

But after in the Succession, there is *William*

[Maple]

8. I hope not

the Queen, if she takes after her mother, has 20 plus more years in her at least.

Charles will be nearly 80 himself by then.

Mind you, William will be pushing 50

[Sannum]

9. The Queen will never abdicate.

She went through the abdication crisis and saw how it affected her family. The Queen Mother went to her deathbed blaming Wallis Simpson and the Abdication for the King's early death. The Queen is more active than most royals half her age. I do know that her husband is on the decline. I will feel so sorry for her when he goes. I am certanly not a fan of him, but without her mother, sister and husband, she will be alone.

It is time for Charles to marry his Camilla, give up his position as heir in favor of William and step out of the spotlight. William can be created Duke of Cornwall, and start "King Training". I can't believe that William is not doing as many duties as his Swedish cousin, Crown Princess Victoria at his age, but I can understand how he could want to still be in the background.

[Maple]

10. No she won't

But then, neither will Charles.

He just won't have long to wear the crown.

William is spending time in the real world, as Diana wanted him to. He won't be one of those who has lived in a bubble all his life.

[iverglas]

12. the current monarch of the UK is the head of state of Canada

and this can be changed by amendment to the Constitution of Canada.

From the Constitution Act, 1982:

41. An amendment to the Constitution of Canada in relation to the following matters may be made by proclamation issued by the Governor General under the Great Seal of Canada only where authorized by resolutions of the Senate and House of Commons and of the legislative assembly of each province:

(a) the office of the Queen, the Governor General and the Lieutenant Governor of a province; ...

http://www.graa.gov.sk.ca/Protocol/Practice/crown_in_canada.htm

In 1953 Elizabeth II was proclaimed in Canada “by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom, Canada and her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.” The most recent reaffirmation of the monarchy in Canada is found in the Constitution Act, 1982, which repatriated the amendment of the constitution from Britain. Any change to the position of the Queen or her vice-regal representatives now requires the consent of both Houses of Parliament and of the Legislative Assemblies of all the provinces.

Canadian citizens are not "subjects" of the UK monarch, and have not been since the Citizenship Act of 1947. Citizens of the UK are also no longer "subjects" of the monarch; they are citizens of the UK.

It is about as accurate, and polite, to refer to citizens of Canada, a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, as "subjects" of our head of state as it would be to refer to USAmericans as subjects of George W. Bush.

Considerably less so, in fact, given the Queen's virtually complete inability, in the real world, to exercise any power whatsoever in or over Canada.