Basic HTML Version
means limited to maintaining social
standards and providing the essence
of nationhood.
Well-lnformed Adviser
The Queen has three specific
rights-"the right to be consulted,
the right to encourage and the right
to warn." She actively exercises
these rights, limited though they
may appear to be, in Britain. Her
Governors-General
*
do the same in
other realms under her sovereign–
ty.
In arder to properly perform
these functions, Elizabeth II keeps
up-to-date on all matters of state in
her far-flung realm.
Virtually every important paper
that crosses the Prime Minister's
desk passes befare the Queen's eyes
as well. Tbe Prime Minister also
consults the Queen on a wide range
of issues privately once a week.
The
Times
of London profile,
quoted earlier, said this about the
Queen's grasp of world conditions:
"Elizabeth 11 is a woman of
great política) astuteness. ... Her
experience is wider than any other
head of state alive.... It is, in a
way, a shame that the Queen can–
not, by virtue of her position, make
more use of her astonishing knowl–
edge of domestic and world poli–
tics."
The Crown in Canada
Elizabeth II's influence extends far
beyond the United Kingdom. Can–
ada is a good example.
When the Queen visited selected
locations in Canada beginning in
late September, she was by no
means visiting foreign territory, as
she did in a state visit to Canada's
southern neighbor, the United
S tates, in 1983.
In Canada, Elizabeth II's official
title is Queen of Canada. Her
*The Queen is head of state in 18 coun–
tries including the United Kingdom. She
has 17 Governors-General since one is not
necessary in the United Kingdom itself
The Statesman's Year-Book 1984-85
refers
to these 18 countries as " Queen 's
Realms": Antigua and Barbuda, Austra–
lia, Bahamas. Barbados, Belize, Canada,
Fiji, Grenada. Jamaica. Mauritius, New
Zea/and, Papua New Guinea, Saint
Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and Grenadines. Solomon lslands,
Tuvalu and the United Kingdom.
January
1985
responsibilities there are incorpo–
rated in a unique, somewhat
abstract entity, known as the
Crown.
This instrument of state power,
explains Frank MacKinnon in
The
Crown in Canada,
"operates in
mysterious and practica! ways."
More than anything else it is the
Crown that distinguíshes Canadian
political life from that of republi–
can United States.
The Crown, its proponents main–
tain, is also largely responsible for
Canada having enjoyed a relatively
trouble-free política! history.
The Crown comprises the su–
preme executive power of Canada,
positioned above the structure of
government (Parliament and Prime
Minister).
It
is, as author MacKin–
non writes, "an institution at the
summit of the state designed to
limit the problems of wielding
political power."
lts power is almost entirely
exerted behind the scenes, quietly
and confidentially. Even most
Canadians are not aware of the day–
to-day operations of the Crown.
"Like an iceberg," says Mr. Mac–
Kinnon, "the Crown displays only
its tip."
The Crown in Canada is com–
posed of 12 key individuals- the
Queen, the Governor-General and
10 Lieutenant Governors (one
over each of Canada's 10 prov–
inces) .
Since the Queen resides in Brit–
ain, the Governor-General (since
1952 a Canadian citizen) exercises
all the powers of the Queen, as
her personal representative. He
performs all the formal and cere–
monial functions that the Queen
would perform if she were pres–
ent.
Among his duties the Governor–
General summons, adjourns and
dissolves Parliament, and sígns
many state documents.
On foreign trips, the Governor–
General represents Canada. At
borne he accepts the accreditation
of ambassadors from other coun–
tries appointed to Canada, as well
as the high commissioners of Com–
monwealth countries.
The 10 Lieutenant Governors
are as much representatives of the
Queen in provincial government as
the Governor-General is in the
national government. This in large
measure accounts for the sizable
sovereignty possessed by Canada's
10 provinces-more authority and
responsibility than is wielded by
states within the United States.
This has even helped preserve the
unique French culture and lan–
guage in Quebec.
Having this form of executive
government and authority in no
way compromises Canada's sover–
eignty as an independent nation.
Originally, with regard to
Canadian matters, the sovereign
(King or Queen as the case may
have been) was advised by repre–
sentatives of the British govern–
ment. As Canada matured as a
natíon, Canadían advisers gradual–
ly took over, untíl the British gov–
ernment relinquished its role
entire!y.
The last vestiges of British con–
trol over Canadian affairs disap–
peared in 1982 with the "patria–
tion" of Canada's constitution,
composed in the main of the British
North America Act of 1867. Until
patriation, amendments to the
BNA Act had to be approved by
the British Parliament, upon advice
of the Canadian government
(which Westrninster automatically
did) .
Tbe Queen traveled to Canada in
April 1982 to formally proclaim
the Canadian constitution.
"To identify the Crown as the
British Crown may have been cor–
rect and practica! years ago," notes
author MacKinnon, "wben Cana–
da's own support of her instítutions
and foreígn relations was not strong
enough. But times have changed,
and the Crown now belongs to
Canada and other members of the
Commonwealth separately.... It is
a shared symbol whícb we have
made our own for practica! rea–
sons."
Simply put, the constitutional
monarchy system, as it had devel–
oped over the centuries in Britain,
was engrafted into Canada, as
it
were, wbere it is now as mucb
Canadian as Brítish. Moreover,
Canada's independence was
achieved peacefully, rather than by
way of a revolution.
In the process, Canada, though a
relatively new country (its confed–
(Continued on page 41 )
3