Canada, Fly in the Progressive Ointment
11th June 2013
Britain’s efforts to change the law of succession across the 16 Commonwealth countries where the Queen is head of state could now be thrown into disarray.
If the challenge succeeds, it means a firstborn girl could lose the right to succession to a younger brother.
The changes to the law brought about by the Coalition had been agreed by all 16 of the Queen’s realms, led by Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
But professors Genevieve Motard and Patrick Taillon, constitutional experts at Laval University in Quebec City, lodged a case in Quebec Superior Court on Friday.
They allege that the Canadian government acted unconstitutionally by failing to seek the approval of each of the country’s 10 provinces before agreeing to the changes.
They also say the new succession laws would still prevent a Catholic or other non-Anglican from becoming the monarch, in breach of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
It’s always something.