King opens Canada’s parliament amid Trump threats
The King has sent a message to the US in a speech to open Canada’s parliament, in what’s widely viewed as a show of support in the face of President Donald Trump’s annexation threats.
Trump’s repeated suggestion that Canada should become the 51st US state prompted Canadian Prime Minister Carney to invite the King to Ottawa to give the rare “speech from the throne”.
Neither he nor his advisers write the speech, as the King is a nonpartisan head of state. The words were put before him by Canada’s government.
In the opening address on Tuesday (local time), the King read out that Canada faced a “critical moment”.
“Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination, and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the Government is determined to protect,” he said.
“The system of open global trade that, while not perfect, has helped to deliver prosperity for Canadians for decades, is changing. Canada’s relationships with partners are also changing.”
The King inspects an honour guard at the Senate of Canada Building in Ottawa. Photo: AAP
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He said Canada faced challenges that were “unprecedented in our lifetimes”.
“Many Canadians are feeling anxious and worried about the drastically changing world around them,” he said.
“Fundamental change is always unsettling. Yet this moment is also an incredible opportunity. An opportunity for renewal.
“An opportunity to think big and to act bigger. An opportunity for Canada to embark on the largest transformation of its economy since the Second World War.”
The King said Canada was also building “new relationships” with the US and the world.
“The Prime Minister and the President of the United States, for example, have begun defining a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the US, rooted in mutual respect and founded on common interests, to deliver transformational benefits for both sovereign nations.
“In parallel, the government is working to strengthen its relationships with reliable trading partners and allies around the world, recognising that Canada has what the world needs and the values the world respects.
“Canada is ready to build a coalition of like-minded countries that share its values, that believe in international co-operation and the free and open exchange of goods, services, and ideas. In this new, fast-evolving world, Canada is ready to lead.”
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Carney said the royal visit spoke to the “vitality of our constitutional monarchy and our distinct identity”.
It is rare for the monarch to deliver what’s called the speech from the throne in Canada.
The King’s mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, did it twice in her 70-year reign, the last time in 1977.
The King and Queen ride in a carriage to the Senate of Canada. Photo: AAP
Carney, the new prime minister and a former head of the Bank of England, and Canada’s first Indigenous governor-general, Mary Simon, the King’s representative in Canada, met the King on Monday.
Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, but Carney has been eager to show the differences between Canada and the United States.
The King’s visit clearly underscored Canada’s sovereignty, he said.
Carney won the recent Canadian election by promising to confront the increased aggression shown by Trump.
The new US ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, said sending messages to the US was not necessary and Canadians should move on from the 51st state talk. He told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that if there was a message to be sent, there were easier ways, such as calling him or Trump.
The King and Queen arrived at the Senate of Canada Building for his speech on Tuesday in a horse-drawn carriage. It was accompanied by 28 more horses – 14 in front and 14 behind.
The King received the royal salute from the 100-person guard of honour from the 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment before entering the chamber for his speech.
He and the Queen were to return to Britain after the speech and a visit to Canada’s National War Memorial.
