Some Comments on the Royal Visit

Her Majesty has once again returned to the Elder Dominion!

This has, sadly, led to the usual republican carping. You've heard it all before.

The monarchy is obsolete they say. But style, grace, virtue, honourable tradition and loyalty to noble values is never obsolete.

The monarchy is unrepresentative. Life is not representative. It is only the jacobin and utopian who wishes to mangle all our institution into statistical conformity.

The monarchy is unCanadian. Canada has never been a republic. The very thought was considered absurd until only a few years ago. The Crown is as Canadian as maple syrup. Canadians revered the monarchy long before they started playing hockey.

The monarchy is British. Even if this is so, why is that a problem? With the exception of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome, who laid the foundations of Western Civilization, no other political force in history has done more good that the British Empire. Reminding Canadians of that fact is a wise exercise at any time. In remembering out past we affirm to ourselves the wellspring of our prosperity, peace and freedom.

The monarchy is unpopular. We hear continually that Canadians are apathetic toward it. This is not surprising. People are often apathetic to that which they do not understand. For forty years educators, civil servants and politicians have striven mightily to erase the monarchy from Canadian history and civics classes. Teach and they will understand.

The monarchy is elitist. We are born with equal rights, not with equal talents or gifts. The law is the same for all - the Queen's law incidentally. Some are born handsome, others plain. A few can run fast or speak well, others stagger in foot and tongue. There are few things more pernicious than a levelling belief. Behind the leveller is not a noble aspiration but something quite dark, the sin of envy.

The monarchy is undemocratic. The most common objection. Democracy is useful for somethings, such as choosing certain public officials. It would be absurd to imagine - sadly a common absurdity in our era - that a mere political mechanism has some sort of inherent moral value. Beauty, truth, virtue, compassion, justice and reason are not the products of majority votes. Old King Canute could not command the waves, neither can a democratic Leviathan. It's no use saying you didn't vote for who sits on the throne, you also didn't vote for your parents. Are your parents therefore illegitimate? Experience shows that somethings are best left to the accidents of nature.

The monarchy is foreign. Canada is not alone in the world. We are part of a great family of free nations, stretching across the globe. The monarchy is a living link to that family. Why would we wish to abandon our kith and kin? For what? A lonely nationalism? Parochialism is not a virtue.

The monarchy is a reminder of old values that have fallen out of fashion. The Queen and her Consort are living reminders of those values in their speech and deed. They are not perfect, for no human thing ever is. The monarch is an exemplar and does not pander. The monarchy is traditional, and tradition is accidental, as is wisdom. It does not matter how we learned, we have learned this and should keep it. Why must so many strive to forget? Amnesia is not a state to be desired, the jacobins be damned.

Over the last weekend violence erupted in Toronto, as so-called protestors ran havoc through the streets of the downtown area. Their malignant energies directed at an international conference, whose protection required the expenditure of a billion dollars. This is far more than has ever been spent defending Her Majesty's person.

As she makes her progress through Canada we can be assured of certain things:

Gangs of monarchists will not start smashing windows and attacking police officers.

Neither Her Majesty, nor her many admirers, will resort to using profanity to express themselves.

The highlight of her visit will be commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding our navy. On show will be Canada's finest, who have dedicated themselves to the service of Crown and Country. They use violence as a last resort in the defense of life and liberty. Not as a method of "communicating," as do some small children and most barbarians.

Her Majesty will cast a light upon the best of Canada.