Would-Be Canadian Citizens Set to Fight Oath to Queen

A group of immigrants seeking Canadian citizenship have gone to court, claiming that the country’s oath for citizenship – requiring “true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors” – is unconstitutional. The oath also requires obeying Canada’s laws and fulfilling citizen duties. The court case undercuts recent Canadian leaders’ efforts to highlight connections with the British monarchy, reports Jeff Gray for the Globe and Mail. “In court, the federal government is set to argue simply that immigrants who disagree with the idea of a hereditary head of state, and refuse to swear an oath of loyalty, do not deserve the benefits of citizenship,” he reports. Attorneys supporting the immigrants point to polls suggesting a majority of Canadians would resist such allegiance. Battles on the oath’s wording began two decades ago. Gray reports the recent case argues the phrase “violates the protections for freedom of religion and conscience in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.” – YaleGlobal