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That hasn't been true since 1982.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Act,_1982

Edit with more details: in the early 80s, Trudeau senior got the British government and Queen out of the way to changes in Canadian law. We choose our own Governor general who has the authority to give Royal assent to any laws we pass without involvement of anyone in England.

Our current G.G. is Julie Payette, a former astronaut.


Yeah, I was puzzling over that earlier about yhat and was confused.

Does that mean that, up until the 80s, the British government were still involved with Canadian lawmaking?

Did that mean Canada was a constitutional monarchy? Still is?


Before 1931, the so-called Imperial Parliament had the power to legislate for Canada, and any legislation they passed had supremacy over colonial legislation under the Colonial Laws Validity Act, 1865.

Between 1931 and 1982, the UK Parliament had the power to legislate for Canada only with the request and consent of the Canadian government. This arrangement was codified in the Statute of Westminster 1931.

In 1982, on the request and consent of the Canadian government, the UK Parliament removed its own power to legislate for Canada by passing the Canada Act 1982 (UK), which enacted the Constitution Act, 1982.

Canada remains a constitutional monarchy. The monarch of Canada is constitutionally required to be the same physical person as the monarch of the United Kingdom, but they are distinct legal persons (as is the monarch of each province).


It means they had a more significant ceremonial role. They've been uninvolved in Canadian government, laws, and policy for a long time. Arguably since the end of the great war


To add to the previous answer, we are technically still under the queen's authority so you could say that we are a constitutional monarchy, but it's all symbolic. Anything else would create public outcry. I personally think we should move out of this system, but it is hard to change a constitution specially since one of them still has not signed it...


The royal assent happens via the Governor General, who's a pro-science astronaut [0]. She'd be most certainly in favour of the bill if her personal opinion mattered at all.

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Payette


Pretty sure the Governor General doesn’t let her personal opinion change the will of Parliment.


Technically Elizabeth is the Queen of Canada. Her titles elsewhere don't mean anything. Otherwise, she does indeed have to give royal assent, which will be done via the Governor General.


Best to think that she just happens to be the queen of a bunch of things, not that those things all share the same queen.


"The bill will likely receive Royal Assent this week..."




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