Chorus of God Save the King silences Canadian rebel MPS

THE Canadian parliament broke into God Save the King after MPS voted against removing the oath of allegiance.

The Government and most of the Liberal and Conservative MPS joined forces to vote down the private member’s bill, which was supported by the Left-wing NDP and nationalist Bloc Québécois parties.

MPS voted to keep Section 128, which requires that new parliamentarians must swear to be “faithful and bear true allegiance” to the reigning monarch, by 113 votes to 197.

A member cannot legally assume his or her seat in parliament until they have taken the oath under the Canadian constitution, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reports.

Monarchist MPS applauded the bill’s defeat and spontaneously began singing God Save the King when the result was announced.

Greg Fergus, the speaker, repeatedly called for order but eventually gave up as the members continued, undeterred. They carried on until they reached the end of the first verse.

The amended oath would have had members swear to carry out their duties “in the best interest of Canada while upholding its Constitution”.

Canadian monarchists argued that the bill would have amounted to republicanism by stealth, as part of a wider plan to diminish the King’s role in Canada.

Since it would not explicitly scrap the monarchy, the move would avoid a protracted fight with the country’s 10 provinces, which would have to ratify any change in its relationship.

John Fraser, who leads Canada’s Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada, said the move would have “foolishly” dismantled the country’s Westminster system of government.

He argued that the governor general, the King’s representative in Canada, functions as an important check on political power, ensuring the prime minister commands the confidence of the House of Commons.

“Look at how republics are faring right now. Look to the south, the US. Do we want that here?” he said.

King Charles III had his first official tour of Canada in 1970 alongside his mother, Elizabeth II, and father, Prince Philip.