North of the Border

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – On March 14, 2025, Mark Carney was sworn in as the first new Canadian prime minister in nine years, vowing that Canada will “never become part of the United States.” Pretty safe bet, I’d say.

While it’s true that in 1867 during Andrew Johnson’s presidency the US paid $7 million to Russia for what is now “the state of Alaska”; it’s also true that Russian Tsar Alexander II didn’t have much use for Siberia’s Siberia. Worried that Britain might take it over anyway, he was glad to get rid of that frozen space. Same story about that 1803 “Louisiana Purchase” pulled off during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency – Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s tail was in a crack. His sugar colonies in the Caribbean weren’t bringing in the revenues he expected; his plans for a New World Empire were down the tube; and war with the UK was imminent. He needed money! Yes, give the guy $15 million and double the size of the United States with a pen stroke. There are a few more examples of a “buyer’s market” as US borders expanded and other countries ceded space on the continent.

Not quite the case with Canada today. And frankly Mark, I don’t know why you even bothered acknowledging Donald’s ramblings about making Canada the “51^st US State.” It’s just the blustering of an “I’m The King” wannabe.

Canada really and truly has a King, aka a “ruling monarch.” Canada’s monarch is King Charles III. Before Charles, his Mum, Queen Elizabeth II, reigned from 1952 till her death in 2022. In addition to being “King of England” Charles has 14 “Commonwealth Realms” – nine in North America, five in Oceania, and one in Europe. Some of them are huge, like Australia, and New Zealand. And Canada. Huge.

A Few Facts About Canada

Independence from the United Kingdom to become a Confederation: July 1, 1867

• Total Area: 3,855,100 sq mi (2^nd largest country in the world)
• Population: 2025 estimate 41,528,680 (36^th largest population in the world)
• GDP Per capita $62,766 (30^th highest in the world)
• Capital: Ottawa. Coordinates: 45°24′N 75°40′W
• Largest city: Toronto
• Official languages: English, French

10 Provinces: Alberta * British Columbia * Manitoba * New Brunswick * Newfoundland * Nova Scotia * Ontario * Prince Edward Island * Quebec * Saskatchewan

3 Territories: Northwest * Nunavut * Yukon

Government: Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy

• Monarch: Charles III
• Governor General: Mary Simon
• Prime Minister: Mark Carney

A Monarch, A Governor General, and a Prime Minister

None of the three above are “elected by the people.” Fancy that!

The monarchy of which King Charles is a part has been around since – well, centuries. And the way things were set forth since Canada became a “federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy” goes like this:

The monarch King Charles III (b 1948) doesn’t “rule” the day-to-day business of Canada. As Head of State, his role is to present a solid, strong, and (hopefully) respected sense of unity for all that sea-to-sea diversity. Since he lives elsewhere, his on-the-ground representative is the Governor General, who he appoints with advice from the Prime Minister. King Charles has quiet power.

The current Governor General is Mary Simon   (b 1947). Mary was appointed Governor General in 2021 by Queen Elizabeth II, and with her Inuk heritage, is the first indigenous person to hold office. Mary’s duties include representing Canada at home and abroad, fulfilling constitutional obligations, and serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces. She appoints judges to federal courts, as well as other officials such as senators, often with the advice of the Prime Minister. She is responsible for summoning, suspending, and dissolving Parliament, and granting royal assent to legislation passed by Parliament. She appoints the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, and Lieutenant Governors of the provinces and can dismiss them, though this is usually done on the advice of the Prime Minister. Mary Simon has far-ranging power.

The new Prime Minister, Mark Carney (b 1965), is Head of Government.  The Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor General on behalf of the Monarch; the person selected is someone who has the support and confidence of a “majority of the directly elected members of the House of Commons.” The post does not have a fixed term, and once appointed and sworn in by the Governor General, a Prime Minister will remain in office until they resign, are dismissed, or die. Mark Carney has astounding power.

The Legislature, Canada’s Parliament, consists of the Upper House, or Senate, which has 105 seats. All members are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister, and can serve until age 75. The Lower House, known as the House of Commons, has 338 seats. Members are elected by a simple majority vote for a term of up to 4 years. Neither House has more power than the other, and all legislation must be approved by both Houses before becoming law.

There are approximately 27,647,165 registered voters in Canada.

Sounds like they’ve got things pretty well figured out, up there north of the border, eh?