COLONY TO NATION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 29, 14 November 1949, Page 6

COLONY TO NATION

TRANSITION IN CANADA COMPLETE INDEPENDENCE to (From Charles Lynch.—Reuter’s Correspondent). OTTAWA. Canada is going through the . last formalities of becoming independent, ending 200 years of transition from colony to nation. Never in all that time has there been any real question of Canadians having to fight for their independence—.the people- established their rights to it, and had increasing freedom granted to them by the British Parliament.

In many ways, it has been a model transition, although some people feel that Canadians, never having had to fight for their liberty, are inclined to take it too much for granted. Canada’s system of government was given to her by Britain, practically ready-made. Most of her parliamentary ceremonies and customs stem from Westminster. Her judiciary system is British, minus only the wigs. These transplanted institutions have worked so well that Canada’ is generally conceded_to be one of the best-governed nations on earth, and a leader among the middle powers despite her population of only 13,000,000. These will remain virtually unchanged ifnder the new processes whereby, in typically calm and well-ordered fashion, Canada is severing her final links with the Parliament at Westminster.

From now on, Canadians will not be able to take their lawsuits for a final appeal to the judicial committee of the Privy Council in London. The Supreme Court of Canada will be the final court of appeal, and it will operate somewhat like the Supreme Court of the United States. It wall have the final say on the interpretation of the British North America Act, which is Canada’s Constitution.

Right to Amend

Another link with Westminster is to be severed when the Canadian Parliament takes on itself the right to amend its Constitution. At present, the procedure is that the Canadian Parliament petitions the British Parliament to make such amendments—although in recent years passage of such amendments has been automatic at Westminster.

When the new moves become law, the sole remaining formal tie between Britain and Canada will be his Majesty the King, whose title here is King of Canada. 1 Still being considered is the matter of a national flag, and a national anthem. Canadians have been unable to agree on a suitable design for a flag, and the national banner remains the British Red Ensign, with the Coat of Arms of Canada in the fly. The Province of Quebec has its own flag, a blue background with Fleur de Lys, and no trace of the Union Jack.

All Canadians still stand for “God Save the King,” but most citizens of Quebec stand even straighter for “O Canada,” an anthem about which the rest of Canada seems, unable to make up its mind. The usual thing is to start a public function with “O Canada,” and finish it with “The King.” The new moves by Canada to underline her independence do not mean any weakening of her traditional affection and admiration for Britain, nor do they indicate any desire to further withdraw from the Commonwealth:. If anything, public opinion shows that Canada would like Commonwealth ties strengthened.

Another Perennial

The new moves have given such comfort to Wilfrid Lacroix, Nationalist M.P. for Quebec-Montmorency, that he is not introducing at this session hi s traditional resolution urging that Canada become a separate republic outside the British Commonwealth. He said: “1 have not changed my views, but it seems from the new legislation that we are going fast enough in the direction of complete independence.” Another perennial resolution has been introduced, however. It is one by Bona Arsenault, Liberal Member for Bonaventure, who wants a Canadian named to the post of GovernorGeneral of .Canada. The move is not likely to gain wide support, owing to the difficulty of finding a candidate acceptable to English and Frenchspeaking sections and the fact that the office of the Governor-General has always been kept free of any political entanglements.