By Karen Kelly
Professor Philippe Lagassé, an expert on the monarchy and the Westminster system of government, describes the death of Queen Elizabeth II as momentous for Canadians.
“It’s very significant in terms of a cultural and political moment,” notes Lagassé, a professor in the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA). “She is the only monarch the vast majority of Canadians have known, so there is a heavy sense of symbolism with her death.”
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. She is Canada’s head of state and represented by the Governor General.
While Lagassé expects a period of mourning in Canada, he says that the change in the monarchy will not affect the legal or constitutional underpinnings in the country.
“The entire apparatus is set up so it doesn’t change with the monarch,” says Lagassé, the editor of The Crown and Parliament. He penned an op-ed for The Globe and Mail after the announcement.
However, the death of Queen Elizabeth II will still spark new discussions that the monarchy is outdated, says Jonathan Malloy, a professor of political science and the Bell Chair for Parliamentary Democracy. “There will likely be some pent-up expectations that with the passing of the Queen, it is now time for change. But the reality is that change of our constitutional monarchy system is nearly impossible.”
Thursday, September 8, 2022 in General, News
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