Republicanism in Canada or Canadian Republicanism is a movement for the replacement of the monarchy of Canada and a monarch as head of state with a parliamentary republic and a democratically selected Canadian as head of state. Republicans are driven by various factors, such as a perception of inequality in the concept of excluding all but members of the royal family from the position or the argument that Canadian independence will not be achieved until Canadians can choose their own head of state independently and democratically.
As with monarchism in Canada, strong republicanism is not a prevalent element of contemporary Canadian society. The movement's roots precede Canadian Confederation and it has emerged from time to time in Canadian politics, but has not been an influential force since the Rebellions of 1837, which some Canadian republicans consider their efforts to be a continuation of.
National identity
Republicans in Canada assert that because of its hereditary aspects, the monarchy is inherently contrary to egalitarianism and multiculturalism. Further, though it diverges from both the official position of the Canadian government and the stated opinions of some judges, legal scholars, and members of the royal family themselves, republicans deem the King or Queen of Canada to be either a solely British or English individual representing a British institution foreign to Canada. Republicans assert that national pride is diminished by the monarchy, and it "prolongs a sense that Canada 'is a colony' and is 'subservient to Britain.'"
This questioning of the monarchy's role in Canadian identity arose as a part of wider cultural changes that followed the evolution of the British Empire into the Commonwealth of Nations, the rise of anti-establishmentism, the creation of multiculturalism as an official policy in Canada, and the blossoming of Quebec separatism; the latter becoming the major impetus of political controversy around the Crown. Quebec nationalists agitated for an independent Quebec republic and the monarchy was targeted as a symbol of anti-Anglophone demonstration, notably Quebecers turned their backs on her procession when she toured Quebec City that year. In a 1970 speech to the Empire Club of Canada, Governor General Roland Michener summed up the contemporary arguments against the Crown: From its opponents, he said, came the claims that monarchies are unfashionable, republics—other than those with oppressive regimes—offer more freedom, people are given greater dignity from choosing their head of state, the monarchy is foreign and incompatible with Canada's multicultural society, and that there should be change for the sake of change alone. This fits into the argument that the monarchy is not representative of the people of its countries. This has been argued to be the case with Canada having a head of state that is of a foreign nationality and living in another country.
It was later thought the Quiet Revolution and the period beyond should have inspired more republicanism amongst Canadians, but it did not. Reg Whitaker blamed this on a combination of Quebec nationalists having no interest in the monarchy (as full sovereignty and their own form of government was their ultimate goal) with the remainder of the population simultaneously struggling with "bilingualism, dualism, special status, distinct society, asymmetrical federalism, sovereignty-association, partnership, and so on." The rise in multi-ethnic immigration to Canada in the 1970s did not inspire any significant desire to alter or remove the role of the Crown in Canada, the ethno-cultural groups not wanting to push constitutional change over a matter they had little concern for.
Instead, until the appointment of Stephen Harper as prime minister, successive governments made subtle efforts to diminish the stature of the Canadian monarchy—as David Smith said: "the historic Crown with its anthem, emblems, and symbolism made accessible a past the government of the day rejected"—though never, since the reaction to some of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's proposals for alterations to the monarchy and its role in Canada, publicly revealing their stances on the Crown. Following Elizabeth II's death in September 2022, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly expressed support for the monarchy's continued status in Canada.
Challenges with transitioning to a republic
Due to the unique political nature and structure of the Canadian state, there are significant cultural, legal, and constitutional challenges that would have to be addressed in order for Canada to become a republic. It has been described by political and constitutional law experts as "very difficult" and "virtually impossible" for Canada to remove the Monarch as head of state.
According to Part V, section 41, sub-section A of the Canadian Constitution Act 1982, any changes to the Monarch's position, including removal, require a constitutional amendment by unanimous consent. This would require the House of Commons, the Senate, and all 10 of the provincial legislatures to vote overwhelmingly for an amendment to remove or amend the role of the Canadian Monarch. Experts argue that this would require a vast amount of political capital to even be possible. Despite a somewhat large republican sentiment in the country, this capital does not presently exist and the issue is not viewed as a pressing concern; the leaders of the two largest parties, the Liberal Party and the Conservatives, were, as of 2024, publicly supportive of keeping the monarchy. For instance, a Bloc Québécois-led republican motion in the House of Commons in 2024 to remove the mention of the King in the parliamentary Oath was voted down and defeated. Both constitutional and political challenges would need to be overcome by a republican movement in order for Canada to remove the monarchy, and political and legal experts have stated they "don't see this happening anytime soon."
Another challenge that also often arises in discussion over the transition to a republic is the treaties and relations with the First Nations and other Indigenous peoples of Canada. Many treaties that have been signed with the indigenous people of Canada were done so between the Crown and Indigenous nations, not between the Canadian government and Indigenous peoples. This has been reflected in subsequent Supreme Court Rulings such as Haida Nation v. B.C. (Minister of Forests), 2004, which reinforced that any dealings by the Canadian government with Indigenous peoples pursuant to the treaties is done so in the name of the Crown. Most experts think consultation with Indigenous peoples on removing the Monarchy should take place prior to any plans for a transition to a republic.
Other challenges that are often raised in discussion of transitioning to a republic include the financial cost associated with removing the monarchy, including changing many Official Canadian National Symbols, which are widespread across public buildings, institutions, and documents such as passports, changing the appearance of the Canadian dollar, changing the names, insignia, uniforms and rank insignia of the Canadian Armed Forces and Police Forces, as well as the cost of establishing a new republican form of government, amongst others. While some of these costs could arguably be offset in part by the money that is currently spent on the running of the Monarchy in Canada, the Governor General, and Lieutenant Governors (estimated at $58.7 million per year or $1.55 per Canadian Taxpayer,) it is broadly accepted that there would still be a substantial financial cost that would have to be overcome in order to change from Monarchy to Republic.
Democratic principles and governmental role Canadian republicans view their country's monarchy as "outdated and irrelevant" and an undemocratic institution because the incumbent sovereign is neither elected, nor a citizen once on the throne; republicans will phrase this argument as "no Canadian citizen can become head of state."
In contrast to monarchist arguments, those against the Crown assert that it is possible to have an elected head of state be an apolitical individual and there would be no possibility of a clash with the prime minister over differences in political persuasion, though some republicans do desire an empowered chief executive who could hold the Cabinet in check for political reasons. Others feel an appointed Canadian president would be more democratic than the Crown. The range of often contradictory proposals highlights the fact that Canadian republicans are not fully united on what sort of republican form of government they believe the nation should adopt. The Westminster-style parliamentary republican model, which is advocated by other Commonwealth republican movements, has been embraced by Citizens for a Canadian Republic as the preferred model for Canada.
Towards that end, Citizens for a Canadian Republic proposed in March 2004 that the federal viceroy be made an elected position as a first step towards some form of republic. As the normal channels of appointment would follow after the election, no constitutional reform would be necessary. However, as monarchists point out, the scheme does not take into consideration any provincial input, especially concerning the relationship between the provincial and federal crowns and thus the lieutenant governors; an issue that would weigh heavily in any constitutional debate on the Crown, regardless of the selection process of the governor general. Further, a 2013 ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada disallowed similar consultative elections for senators, stating that such would be a change to how senators are selected and would thus require a constitutional amendment.
History of issue
Colonial era and Confederation
Reformists began to emerge in the Canadian colonies during the early 19th century and by two decades into that century had begun to cohere into organized groups, such as the Upper Canada Central Political Union. The idea of political party was viewed by a number of British North Americans as an innovation of the United States, being "anti-British and of a republican tendency." Colonists were warned about "a few individuals, who unfortunately, are led by those, whose hostility to the British constitution is such, that they would sacrifice any and every thing to pull it down, in order that they might build up a Republic on its ruins." It was believed that the persons agitating for republican change and their supporters were of American origin and had been taught to admire republican government as the best in the world and ridicule monarchism.
The first open uprisings in Canada against the monarchical system came in 1837, with the Lower Canada Rebellion—led by Louis Joseph Papineau and his Parti Patriote—and the Upper Canada Rebellion—led by William Lyon Mackenzie. Though their main motives were for more representative government in their respective colonies, Mackenzie was inspired by the American model and wished to establish the same in Canada. Papineau originally expressed loyalty to the Crown in his Ninety-Two Resolutions, but turned when the British parliament instead adopted the Earl Russell's Ten Resolutions, which ignored all 92 of the requests from the Parti Patriote. Most colonists, however, did not espouse a break with the Crown and the rebellions ultimately failed. Mackenzie fled Toronto with 200 supporters and established, with the help of American sympathizers, the short-lived and never recognized Republic of Canada on Navy Island, while Papineau and other insurgents fled to the United States and proclaimed the Republic of Lower Canada.