Roundup: Few details on the Canadian coronation

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As the coronation fast approaches, we’re still waiting for details in Canada about what we’re doing here, or what the events happening in Ottawa will be, or who is part of the delegation going to London for the event itself. The level of secrecy is a bit weird, but I have my suspicions that this is trying to be downplayed from the top, meaning PMO.

As for King Charles III himself, the early signs are that he’s looking to be a bit more involved and less removed than his mother tended to be, in part because that was the generation she came from. And what does that mean for Canada? Well, that’s dependent entirely upon the prime minister, because the King can only act on the advice of the PM. And this PM, well, doesn’t like it when the spotlight is away from him. He likes the “ceremonial” aspects of the job, and a lot of that stuff is what the Crown and the Governor General does. So while we’ve just had some incredibly important events in our country as a constitutional monarchy—the loss of the Queen who had been our sovereign for seventy years, and now the installation of the new King—it’s being downplayed in ways that are not healthy for us as a country, but our civic literacy about this is at terrible lows, and there is an organised campaign of misinformation about the role and nature of the Crown in this country, and Trudeau could do something about that, but he won’t, and it erodes the nature of our democracy even more.

Ukraine Dispatch:

Russian Forces are yet again claiming to have achieved more of a foothold in Bakhmut, while Ukrainian forces continue to insist they’re holding the line. There are also a bunch of denials as to whether or not the Ukrainians have established a foothold on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river in the south of the country. Russian forces are also claiming to have repelled a drone attack against their Black Sea fleet in the Crimean port of Sevastopol.

https://twitter.com/zelenskyyua/status/1650111231196536832

https://twitter.com/defencehq/status/1650012022371753984

Good reads:

  • The civil service strike continues, as there was a weekend of shenanigans and game-playing (largely on the part of the union) while negotiations are ongoing.
  • Canada is suspending consular affairs in Sudan due to the fighting, and is trying to evacuate diplomatic staff (but the airport is destroyed so it can’t be by air).
  • Here is a look at the work the RCMP are doing to assist the Ukrainians in investigating war crimes.
  • There have been calls for the RCMP to reform their militaristic training methods, which are a direct contributor to their toxic culture. (Or, you could disband them…)
  • A Russian race car driver—and the son of oligarchs—is going to Federal Court to challenge the sanctions against him, citing harm to his career.
  • Chantal Hébert outlines the problems Pierre Poilievre has created for himself in Quebec, while François Legault and Justin Trudeau mend fences.
  • Susan Delacourt notes the amount of wealth-bashing that is coming from all sides in the House of Commons, and how different this is from years past.

Odds and ends:

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and Jill Biden appeared on a YouTube channel during the Biden visit, and talked about making Rideau Cottage “home.”

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3 thoughts on “Roundup: Few details on the Canadian coronation”

  1. Of course we are now aware of the CBC poll where the Corp reports that 60% of Canadians are against Charles being the Canadian king and not really interested in his coronation. To have the constitution changed to reflect this attitude shouldn’t be too difficult. Although I was not polled I add my name to one who has no affection for the cuckold king.

    • You’d have to rewrite the entire constitution, because this involves change the central organizing principle of our country, and given the provincial politics in this country, you can bet it will be exceedingly difficult to do.

  2. “…it’s being downplayed in ways that are not healthy for us as a country, but our civic literacy about this is at terrible lows, and there is an organised campaign of misinformation about the role and nature of the Crown in this country, and Trudeau could do something about that, but he won’t, and it erodes the nature of our democracy even more.”

    Well said, and only too true. On April 24th, the CBC Radio noon talk show in British Columbia (BC Today) spent half an hour on the monarchy and the coming coronation of King Charles III. This was triggered by the latest annual poll by the Angus Reid Institute which rather showcases its bias with this juvenile headline on its news release, “Three-in-five want to chuck Charles.”

    The poll itself is replete with questions that are leading [“Do you think Canada should continue as a constitutional monarchy for generations to come?”] or downright stupid, [“Regardless of her title, do you support or oppose Canada recognizing King Charles’ wife Camilla as Queen?].

    Those surveyed were also asked to opine on the value of Belize, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis having a constitutional monarch as head of state. Because, you know, it’s important for Canadians to provide guidance on such questions to our Caribbean friends.

    Of course, this was all catnip for the CBC because it gives Mother Corp an opportunity to address identity, racism, slavery, colonialism and related topics, about which — without CBC’s guiding hand — it’s dwindling audience wouldn’t know what to think.

    Anyway, just to cap the whole thing off, BCToday’s host Michelle Eliot ended the segment by saying, “There will be live coverage of the coronation of the British King across all CBC platforms….” Seriously, she said the “British King.” Because it’s always good to have the country’s national public broadcaster available to educate all of us out of our ignorance.

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