Canadian Town’s Councillors Refuse to Swear Allegiance to King Charles III, Sparking Controversy in Yukon

Toronto—Five recently elected councillors from Dawson City, a small town in Canada’s northwestern Yukon territory, collectively refused to swear an oath of allegiance to King Charles III during their investiture ceremony on Tuesday.

Although the oath is legally required under the Yukon’s Municipal Act, the councillors declined to pledge allegiance to the British monarch, who, while holding no direct power, remains Canada’s official head of state.

According to Yukon’s Municipal Act, all elected councillors must swear an oath of allegiance to the British monarch as part of their official duties. This oath is traditionally taken alongside the councillors’ oath of office within 40 days of their election. Should the councillors fail to comply with this requirement, their positions could be rendered invalid, possibly resulting in their removal from office and the calling of a special election.

Dawson City Mayor Stephen Johnson disclosed to CBC News that the decision to forgo the oath of allegiance was a unified stance taken by all five councillors. The idea was initially proposed by newly elected council member Darwyn Lynn, who expressed reservations due to historical tensions between the British Crown and Canada’s Indigenous communities. “Early in the morning, we all got an email, and it was from Darwyn,” Johnson explained. “And he said, ‘I’m hesitant to sign on to this, basically because of background history with [the] Crown and First Nations in Canada.’”

Britain’s King Charles III, wearing the Imperial State Crown and the Robe of State, sits alongside Britain’s Queen Camilla, wearing the George IV State Diadem, seen before reading the King’s Speech from the Sovereign’s Throne in the House of Lords chamber, during the State Opening of Parliament, at the Houses of Parliament in London, July 17, 2024. Henry Nicholls/Pool via AP

During Tuesday’s meeting, four councillors took their oaths of office, while a fifth councillor, currently on vacation, is expected to do so upon returning. However, all five members collectively opted against the separate oath of allegiance to the British monarch.

Samantha Crosby, Yukon’s Director of Community Affairs, acknowledged the rarity of an entire council refusing the oath and has been working with the councillors to seek a resolution to avoid the need for a by-election. “The requirement to swear or affirm the oaths is in the [municipal] act itself, but the prescribed forms are under a regulation within the municipal act,” Crosby explained, suggesting that changes to the regulatory language, rather than the act itself, might offer a more feasible solution. “Making changes to legislation is a very long process, but making changes to a regulation is something that can be done much quicker.”

The incident highlights the growing discomfort with colonial-era symbols and practices across the Commonwealth, especially among Indigenous communities. King Charles remains the head of state for Canada and other Commonwealth nations such as New Zealand, Australia, and Jamaica.

However, members of Indigenous communities have increasingly voiced discontent with the monarchy, criticising its historical role in colonial exploitation and calling for greater acknowledgement of injustices.

The tensions were recently underscored during King Charles’s visit to Australia, where he faced vocal opposition from Sen. Lidia Thorpe, an Indigenous rights advocate. During a speech, Thorpe interrupted to accuse the British royal family of complicity in historical injustices, demanding the return of Indigenous lands and remains. “This is not your country!” she shouted. “You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us — our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people.”

A source close to the king responded to the incident, stating that Charles “understands there is always a debate to be had around the role of the monarch” but emphasised that he believes it’s ultimately a decision for each Commonwealth nation to make independently.

Dawson City, a small town in Canada’s western Yukon Territory, is seen in a file photo. Getty/iStockphoto

The monarchy’s role in Canada has come under increased scrutiny since Queen Elizabeth II passed away in 2022. A survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that 52% of Canadians preferred cutting formal ties with the monarchy and opposing the continuation of Charles as head of state.

Additionally, a bill proposed earlier this year aimed to amend Canada’s constitution to make the oath to the monarch optional. However, the legislation failed to pass, with 197 members of Parliament voting against it and 113 in support.

As the Dawson City councillors’ stance demonstrates, allegiance to the monarchy remains a divisive issue in Canada. It also sheds light on the complexities of maintaining colonial traditions in a modern context where voices for change are becoming increasingly prominent.