A new Angus Reid poll shows that a majority of Canadians would support ending the monarchy after The Queen passes, despite overwhelming personal support from Canadians.
The poll was conducted in early April and shows that 51% of those polled are in favour of the monarchy ending in Canada after The Queen passes, a slight majority. Twenty-six per cent of those surveyed were in favour of the monarchy remaining, and 24% were unsure.
With continuing discussions around the legacy of Residential Schools and colonialism, the monarchy has become a bigger question in Canada. In 2021, several statues and other royal symbols were graffitted and torn down during protests stemming from the discovery of several mass graves at Residential Schools.
The Angus Reid survey also delved into the specifics of the members of the Royal Family. Fifty-five per cent of respondents were in favour of the monarchy continuing in Canada, but only 34% of respondents were in favour of “King Charles.” Fifty-four per cent of respondents had a negative view of Prince Charles, with only Prince Andrew faring worse (at 68%).
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall are due to visit Canada in May on a three-day visit. They will be visiting Newfoundland and Labrador, Ottawa, and the Northwest Territories. It will be Charles’s 19th official trip to Canada, with his first in 1970.
Questions about the monarchy have been asked for several decades in Canada. To make any changes to the monarchy in Canada, the House of Commons, the Senate, and all provincial and territorial legislatures would need to unanimously vote in favour of the change.
There are many questions asked on what would replace the monarchy were it removed and the cost and time involved in removing the Crown from the government, judicial system, and other areas of life.
