Government acts to remove gender obstacle to throne
New legislation means first born of either sex would become monarch
The federal government will introduce legislation Thursday to end a centuriesold rule that discriminates against female heirs to the British throne.
The bill will reflect a joint commitment made by Canada and 15 other Commonwealth countries where the Queen is head of state.
Earlier this week, the federal government gave notice to MPs in the House of Commons that it was about to table a bill entitled “An Act to assent to alterations in the law touching the Succession to the Throne.”
Under Commons rules, that bill can be tabled as early as Thursday.
The government announced Wednesday federal Heritage Minister James Moore will make an “important announcement” Thursday morning in the foyer of the House of Commons. His announcement will be preceded by a “technical briefing” for the media.
Robert Finch, dominion chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada, said he often hears allegations the monarchy is a sexist or discriminatory institution, “and this is one big step towards erasing that argument.”
“It demonstrates the monarchy is a constantly evolving
‘These changes simply recognize the equality of women and Catholics and they’re long overdue.’ PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER
Roman Catholic will be ended.
At the Commonwealth meeting, Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke about the need to make the changes.
“There was universal agreement, unanimous agreement that these changes simply recognize the equality of women and Catholics, and they’re long overdue,” Harper said at the time.
Harper described the changes as “obvious modernizations” that he hoped would take effect quickly. “In Canada, at some point, we will table legislation in the House of Commons and it would be my hope that that would be approved quickly.”
The need for the changes became an apparent priority following the 2011 marriage of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
Moreover, the reforms are especially required now that the royal couple have announced that they are expecting their first child in July. The ancient rules of succession stipulate that a royal daughter must stand in line behind her brother for the throne — even if that brother is younger.
As well, heirs to the throne are forbidden from marrying Roman Catholics.
In 2011, British Prime Minister David Cameron wrote other Commonwealth leaders indicating he planned to change these outdated rules and wanted their agreement following a discussion at their meeting in Australia.
He urged an agreement to update the 1701 Act of Settlement.
In his letter, Cameron wrote: “We espouse gender equality in all other aspects of life, and it is an anomaly that in the rules relating to the highest public office we continue to enshrine male superiority.” institution,” he said.
Finch acknowledged some feel the change will require a constitutional amendment.
“But the approach the government is taking is that there’s no constitutional amendment required,” he said. “It reflects popular opinion and I think if a province didn’t want the changes, we would have heard about it by now.”
At the last meeting of Commonwealth nations, in Australia in October 2011, leaders promised to take action to reform the monarchy.
Each of those nations is introducing legislation to legalize the change. Under the new rules: Male children will no longer inherit the throne ahead of their older female siblings. The 300-year-old ban on a monarch being married to a