JUDELINE TYABJI: Today is the first time I have felt that as a Constitutional Monarchy, Canada has a much stronger place in the world
When I was a young MLA, I was outspoken about the irrelevance of the Canadian connection to the British monarchy, and I wanted to abolish the Canadian Senate. I felt both were a waste of money, and from a western perspective, not useful. Today is the first time I have felt that as a Constitutional Monarchy, Canada has a much stronger place in the world, and we are all protected in this institution in a way that we would not be if we were independent. It's a bit like insurance, you can grumble about paying for it until the day you need it. And then, you realize it's worth all the years of premiums. Reconciliation is happening. At every step in the opening of parliament, Indigenous leaders and Indigenous culture was featured. The best part? It felt natural and meaningful. What an enormous change in the past fifty years. |For the first time in Canadian history, the King of Canada opened our parliament by reading the Speech from the Throne. I paid attention to the response of membe...