# Poll: Would you like your country to cut all ties to "The Crown" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 16, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368 "2002-06-16T16:10:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Efrem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@Efrem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Efrem)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/1 "2002-06-16T16:10:34Z")
This is to all the SDMB members who live in the Commonwealth (or any other country that has government ties to a monarchy) would you want your respective country to cut their ties with “The Crown”. I’m looking for a yes or no, and it would be nice to have a reason for your choice. Me, I live in Canada and would greatly welcome any attempt in severing our ties to the British monarchy. A) The English are cool 🆒 , but I just don’t like the Royal Family. B) It isn’t even “The Canadian Royal Family” they are from the UK! C) When the time comes for ol’ Liz to step down, I do not want “King” Charles on my money. :eek: D) And I really don’t like monarchies in general. I feel the whole idea is is an outdated concept which rewards the luckily few who happen have been born into royalty, without any regard to achievements that might have been made my that person. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/2 "2002-06-16T18:41:52Z")
As a Canadian, I think we should have an all-Canadian monarchy, if we’re going to have one at all. 🙂 Let’s have our _own_ princes and princesses and king and queen, our own ceremonies, our own symbols. Of course the symbols of the new monarchy could grow out of the soul of the shared British/French history, but there’s no reason we couldn’t include the symbols of the other nations and peoples who came to and became part of this land. Inukshuks. Dragons. The Four Directions. Moose. Manitou. The list is long. I want to be Duke of Toronto. 😃 More seriously, I like the idea of having the members of the [Order of Canada](http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/youth/sub.cfm?source=collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group02/cc) elect the [Governor-General](http://www.gg.ca/govgen_e.asp). We wouldn’t even need to change any of the titles… just put a new face on the money. The provincial lieutenant-governors could be elected by comparable bodies in each province. This would maintain the separation between the symbolic Head of State (the Governor-General), and the political Head of Government (the Prime Minister)… ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/3 "2002-06-16T18:51:14Z")
Why was I under the impression that Canada did break away from the Commonwealth? Speaking as an Australian national, I would like to see us break away. I think the whole Monarchy thing is way outdated and should be abolished. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/4 "2002-06-17T01:08:43Z")
I live in England, and yes, I would. Because the ‘royal’ family are crap at their job, and a bunch of expensive, useless parasites. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/5 "2002-06-17T01:14:50Z")
I’d like Australia to go for the “minimal-change rebublic” model. Ditch Lizzie and family, and have an Australian as head of state. He or she could still be called the Governor-General, and we’d stay in the Commonwealth. I don’t really care if they change the flag or not. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/6 "2002-06-17T01:17:33Z")
New Zealand have only recently isolated ourselves from the Privy Council as the highest court of appeal. Yes, I agree with severing any other lingering ties with the Crown. We started cutting the apron strings in 1907 – it’s long past time the job was completed. The Governor-General, the representative of Her Majesty here in NZ, is just as much a figurehead, rubber-stamper as the Queen is. And by all means, let’s have a change to the flag. (I know this goes against the wishes of returned servicemen and their families, but I’d like something that is more closely represents my country). ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/7 "2002-06-17T01:29:58Z")
Like **TLD** , I’m for the “minimal-change republic” model. I emphatically do not want us to move to a model in which our head of state (whether we call that person governor general, president, or big kahuna) is elected directly by the public. I’m not overly concerned about whether the flag is changed or not - I do find some of the arguments put forward for retaining it both inaccurate and over-emotive, though. ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/8 "2002-06-17T02:40:41Z")
Count me as another McGarvie (minimalist) model republican. Timing, well I thought that last time was soon enough. But enough direct electionists pissed the opportunity away and we won’t see another for a decade. The flag, while I would go into the trenches either way, probably should be changed concurently but the [Eureka Flag](http://www.ausflag.com.au/flags/eureka.html) or the [Aboriginal Flag](http://www.ausflag.com.au/flags/ab.html) to be the only legitimate alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/9 "2002-06-17T02:59:10Z")
Add me to the growing list of Aussies who want to cut ties, and who want to do it the way of minimal change. I also want the flag changed. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/10 "2002-06-17T03:03:15Z")
Just a footnote. If it came down to a referendum on direct election of our head of state or retaining the monarchy, I’d vote to retain the monarchy - I’m **that** opposed to the direct election model. ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/11 "2002-06-17T04:09:14Z")
I wanna cut ties, too. Just curious, though. All you other Aussies…why are you so against a direct election of our head of state? What am I missing here? And I SO want the flag changed. You have no idea the number of times I’m asked “Why do you have the English flag on there?” or “Why do you have the same flag as NZ?”. Its almost humiliating that we don’t have a flag that is recognisable at a glance as the Aussie flag. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/12 "2002-06-17T04:25:10Z")
I’m against the direct election of the head of state because I believe the position would then become a populist political one - we’d probably end up with an ex-cricketer as our president/g-g. In terms of stability and checks and balances, our current system serves us fairly well (although I’d certainly favour the head of state having to be ratified by a substantial majority of both houses of parliament). Direct election would mean a number of things, not the least of which would be massive amounts of money spent on campaigning by candidates who’d selected themselves. The role of our head of state involves **protecting** us from our politicians; if we politicise the office itself, we lose one of the most important (IMO) aspects of the office (and we’d probably end up with Alan Jones as president)\> ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/13 "2002-06-17T04:27:50Z")
An additional point - as our head of state is essentially apolitical and campaigning could not be done on any kind of political platform, it would pretty much come down to a straight popularity contest fuelled by mega-bucks. ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/14 "2002-06-17T04:48:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tsubaki \* > \*\*why are you so against a direct election of our head of state? 1. what **reprise** said in spades 2. It is inevitiable that you would have a populary elected HoS, (with the reserve powers to dismiss the government) in a ideological/political/personality clash with the Prime Minister of a democratically elected government. Who has the mandate? Especially if the HoS is recently elected on a hot-button political issue. ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/15 "2002-06-17T05:03:59Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by reprise_\*\* > I’m against the direct election of the head of state because I believe the position would then become a populist political one - we’d probably end up with an ex-cricketer as our president/g-g. \*\* I just changed my mind. An ex-cricketer would probably do a better job than the average pollie 😃 j/k. **Reprise** said it better than I could. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/16 "2002-06-17T05:07:48Z")
Count me in with the other Aussies. I’d like a no-fuss change to a republic, but never a directly-elected head of state. Why? 1. What \*_reprise_ said. 2. What **woolly** said. 3. The ARM estimated (in 1999) that a direct election would be cost something like $50 million. No thanks. Of course, the model system I’d prefer has already been defeated at a referendum. IMO, there’s little change it’ll ever see the light of day again. Not when the monarchist lobby can easily shoot another dishonest “Politicians’ republic!” missile. Ah well. Doesn’t keep me up at night. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/17 "2002-06-17T05:46:52Z")
I’m a republican, myself. Replace Canada’s Governor-General with a President of similar power and revamp the Senate, chop-chop. ---
**Author:** ![leechbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/18 "2002-06-17T06:33:59Z")
Hand up for another Aussie who wishes to cut ties to the monarchy but with minimal change. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/19 "2002-06-17T06:35:11Z")
Eh. I don’t really care one way or another about the monarchy. (I expect to become a somewhat bigger monarchist when Wills accedes to the throne. Yum!) But if we did away with it, we might as well go all the way and can the position of GG as well. The senate really must change, though. One figurehead is fine, but a hundred is pushing it a little. ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368/20 "2002-06-17T07:17:37Z")
Thanks, **reprise** and **woolly**. Now I can see where you’re coming from. But what’s wrong with having Boonie for President?!? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-like-your-country-to-cut-all-ties-to-the-crown/114368.md?page=2)