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norman spector

On the eve of the Royal visit, I'm afraid that the antis will just have to suck it up. For the dwindling number of monarchists among us, on the other hand, there's some good news: it doesn't really matter what Canadians think about the institution. All the talk (including all the ink being spilled) about nuking the monarchy is just that - talk.

According to the Constitution Act, 1867 (once known, by the way, as the British North America Act, 1867), "The Executive Government and Authority of and over Canada is hereby declared to continue and be vested in the Queen." In other words, the Queen (or the future King) is our Head of State. As Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently reminded the Governor-General.

Far from changing that provision when our Constitution was brought home from London, prime minister Pierre Trudeau was forced to agree to the premiers' preferred amending formula in order to cut the deal. And, let's be frank: that amending formula has cast the monarchy in stone. For the ages.

According to section 41 of the Constitution Act, 1982, it would take "resolutions of the Senate and House of Commons and of the legislative assemblies of each province" to cut our ties to the monarchy. Forget about Senate obstruction: If we learned anything from the failure of the Meech Lake accord, it's that it's virtually impossible to get unanimous agreement of governments in this country even on the time of day. And the Charlottetown accord taught us that opening the constitution is a recipe for everyone to put forward his or her shopping list of reforms. Which is why no government - even Québec - wants to do it.

So get over it. The monarchy is here to stay. The majority of us, I suspect, will get on with our lives. As to those with strong feelings on either side of the issue, here's my advice: Make the best of the situation. As I hope Prince Charles and his Royal Consort will do as they travel our magnificent country in the coming days.

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