| Founded | 2002 |
|---|---|
| Location | Toronto |
| Key people |
Tom Freda National Director Pierre L. J. Vincent Associate Director |
| Focus | Canadian Republicanism |
| Website | www.canadian-republic.ca |
Citizens for a Canadian Republic (French: Citoyens et Citoyennes pour une République Canadienne) (CCR) is a not-for-profit Canadian organization founded in 2002 that advocates the replacement of the Canadian monarchy with a head of state who would either be chosen through a general election or elected by parliament.[1][2] While CCR favours the retention of the Westminster style parliament where the prime minister is head of government, the organization does not endorse any particular republican model of government.[3] The organization's general objective is "to promote discussion and help raise awareness of the clear advantages of amending The Constitution to allow for a democratically-chosen Canadian citizen to serve as head of state."[4][5]
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Citizens for a Canadian Republic was formed in 2002 "in an effort to provide balance in the debate over whether or not Canada should remain a constitutional monarchy"[6] and advocating the “Canadianization” of the head of state.[7] It remains the only formal organization devoted to the establishment of a Canadian republic.[8]
That same year, CCR became involved in O'Donohue v. Canada,[9] a lawsuit filed by one of its members, Tony O'Donohue. This suit challenged the constitutionality of certain provisions the law governing succession to the Canadian monarchy, the Act of Settlement, 1701, which discriminates against Roman Catholics. O'Donohue argued that it thus violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.[10] The case was dismissed in 2003, and the dismissal was upheld in 2005, part of the rationale behind the decision being that as the Act of Settlement is indeed a constitutional document on equal-footing with the Charter, it could not be pre-empted by the Charter[11]
In 2007, CCR member Charles Roach filed suit in opposition to the requirement of new citizens to swear an oath to the Queen. The case was on May 17, 2007, allowed to proceed,[12][13] but has since been dismissed by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.[14]
CCR's national director and principal anglophone spokesperson is Tom Freda. The associate director and principal francophone spokesperson is Pierre L. J. Vincent. Other prominent members of the group include O'Donohue, Professor Randall White and civil rights lawyer Charles Roach. The organization has local chapters in Fredericton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver, plus international chapters in the US and the UK.[15]
CCR is a member of Common Cause, an alliance of Commonwealth republican movements[16] that seek to change their countries' status as Commonwealth realms to Commonwealth republics.
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