Change the Title?

To many a Canadian, the royal title of George VI, "by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India," has long been an unhappy reminder of bygone colonialism. Last week in the House of Commons, Quebec's Eugene Marquis decided the time had come to do something about it.

Member Marquis objected to Canada's classification as a Dominion. He proposed: edit the title to identify His Majesty specifically as "King of Canada."

Many French-and English-speaking members thought Marquis had a good idea. So did External Affairs Minister Louis St. Laurent. Said he: the King's title is out of date because "it does not make any distinction between the condition of those lands beyond the seas whose people have attained autonomous self-government, and the colonies which are still lands under dominion." He promised to see what could be done, but reminded the House of Commons that for any change the consent of other members of the British Commonwealth of Nations would be needed.

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