Eastern Ontario town council to debate mandatory oath to King Charles
The debate on elected officials pledging allegiance to King Charles III will shift to a small town south of Ottawa this week, as Prescott town council discusses a motion on whether to abolish the requirement for newly elected members.
The Quebec legislature passed a bill in December to make the oath of allegiance to the monarch optional for elected members. Bill 4 stipulates that elected members of the Quebec legislature are only required to say an oath of allegiance to the people of Quebec, while swearing an oath to the King will be optional.
A notice of motion for Monday's Prescott town council meeting recommends council request the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing consider amending the Ontario Municipal Act to eliminate the obligatory oath to King Charles when elected, or make it optional.
Under the Ontario Municipal Act, an individual cannot take their seat on council until they take the Declaration of Office in English or French, which is established by the province.
Line 4 of the Declaration of Office states, "I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third."
The motion for Prescott town council, tabled by Coun. Lee McConnell, states, "The current Declaration of Office forces a duly elected official to swear allegiance to the King rather than the country, province, and community from whence elected."
If Prescott town council approves the motion, it will be sent to Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark, Premier Doug Ford and all municipalities across Ontario.
CTV News Ottawa reached out to Coun. McConnell over the weekend, but had not heard back by Sunday afternoon.
Prescott Mayor Gauri Shankar does not support changing the oath of office that pledges allegiance to the King.
"I support the current oath and have absolutely no intention in support McConnell's motion," Shankar said in an email to CTV News Ottawa.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.