Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin today's statement with an apology in this House.
On Friday, I referred to His Royal Highness Charles, Prince of Wales, as "ole Chuckie Boy." The Rules of the House do not allow us to speak disrespectfully of the Monarch, or any Member of his royal family, and I withdraw those remarks, Mr. Speaker.
But with all due respect, I will now deliver a statement, Mr. Speaker, that I believe it is time for Canada to end its relationship with the monarchy, and I think a good start in that House would be to remove that rule, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I know that constitutional reform for the country of Canada is well above my pay grade but, Mr. Speaker, we often have conversations about reconciliation in this House, and I believe in a territory that has been passed around for hundreds of years between Royal family members, fur trading companies, and colonial governments, we owe ourselves to have that conversation when Members of that family show up to assert their sovereignty.
Mr. Speaker, all of us in this House have and had to swear an allegiance to Her Majesty and her heirs in order to sit in this House. This has been tested in Canada and a democratically elected officials have been refused their seats if they do not swear that oath. In Quebec, many of them go into the back room and swear it secretly, Mr. Speaker. We have kicked people out of city councils, MLAs for refusing to swear this oath in other jurisdictions. And, Mr. Speaker, I find it a little odd that in the 21st century, we're still having a debate about whether Republicans should be allowed to sit in this legislature.
So I've already sworn that oath, as have we all. I'll have to admit as I swore it, I cringed a little. I do not like taking legal oaths that I would never actually uphold. If it came down to it, I am not have any allegiance to Her Royal Highness, Mr. Speaker. But I challenge the next Assembly to think before we swear that oath and make a political statement to refuse to sign that oath. I think it would put our Commissioner, our clerks, and our prime minister in a very uncomfortable position about whether they are going to not allow a democratically elected House to exist but I think it is something the NWT should do.
And Mr. Speaker, this is not some sort of new conversation. Last year, Barbados left the monarchy; Belize, Bahamas, Jamaica, Grenada, Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, are all planning to leave the monarchy. Pretty soon, it's just going to be us and England left there, Mr. Speaker. Only about 14 of the 54 countries remain.
And Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Premier that I hope the next time that a Member of his royal family shows up, we express that the final act of reconciliation is leaving that monarchy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
