Dear Royals – Go Away.

Oh, I disagree strongly with you in this matter. But bear with me as I explain why.

The monarchy is an essential foundation for the distribution and exercise of all forms of political and judicial power in Canada… as well as a necessary arbiter between the interests and concerns of disparate groups that constitute the confederation. (Note the word ‘distribution’.)

The alternative is some kind of Republic, which means altering the offices and institutions of government and jurisprudence and changing not only how they work but more importantly from what new source their power can be justified. Although this is possible to achieve (and almost always successful only with an homogenous population base), it is very difficult with a population constituted by disparate groups to achieve and the attempt often accompanied by bloody revolution where force of arms becomes the arbiter and disparate groups and their aims subdued by violence, where the tyranny of the majority becomes ensconced as ‘the right to rule’.

In stark contrast is parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy where a necessary figurehead like a monarch distributes the political power expressed by the individual’s franchise. Political power from the ground up is balanced by political power from the top down… both respecting the necessary role of the judiciary to find and maintain balance between them and enforce their rulings by military means if necessary. That’s why all military and para-military personnel take an oath of allegiance to the Crown (as do all political representatives as does every new citizen).

The question then is not whether such distribution of power through a monarchy is justified in and of itself (a question of why are these members of this family somehow more worthy than those folk over there kind of approach) but, rather, does what we have today with the Hanovers (or whatever their last name might actually be) work to achieve political stability and help maintain the conditions for creating wealth for the individual while maintaining flexibility to the political concerns of disparate groups from which these individuals affiliate? I submit that it can and does with many local variances… and the Canadian example in particular a lesson from which most people of the world could learn how to live together for mutual benefit and prosperity. The price for peace, order, and good government includes a figurehead to which our allegiance in various public offices is primary, meaning we support the institutions rather than the public by way of its elected representatives. That’s why the PM goes hat in hand to ask permission from the monarch’s representative for forming and dissolving governments. This comes with tremendous benefits in real political terms for the populace compared to the workings of today’s republics… benefits rarely if ever even considered by those who only see the monarchy as an archaic and class-based institution representing a bygone era.

So it’s important that the populace continues to show affection and respect for the institution of the monarchy (in its latest incarnation of Will and Kate) and, by doing so, continue to empower the derived public institutions that represent the Crown here at home. This is the real legacy of the ongoing monarchy that continues to pay political benefits for the quality of life we enjoy and one we threaten at our political and judicial peril.

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