[deleted] Yeah I’m ok with that for the Brits, but why do things like the Commonwealth still exist? Why do we have to be under this symbolic umbrella and swear allegiance to a King or Queen across the ocean?
Well you don’t [have] to.
We Americans noisily left in 1776, coming up soon to the 250th anniversary.
But many would argue that it would have been better for the American Revolution to have fizzled out, and peaceful accommodation reached instead.
That’s the world envisioned by Harry Turtledove in the alternate history novel “The Two Georges” set in modern times. It’s a different world and a better one in some ways.
Barbados became a Republic in 2021.
They still are in the Commonwealth but they now have a ceremonial president instead of the former Queen or King.
Are they better off? I don’t know.
There’s some benefit to having good friends.
The USA was always big enough to be it’s own best friend, and now of course is driving away other friends.
If Canada is NOT to have the previous close relationship with the USA that has previously existed—well it’s good to have close ties to countries with similar values such as the U.K., Australia, New Zealand…
Those ties may soon be, and may need to be, stronger than ever.
Of course, sharing a sovereign is not necessary as such for this, but probably helps.
It might have been ESP but while driving home, I was thinking of the French Community of Nations.
The French Community was THEIR answer to the British Commonwealth, but was a dismal failure.
Originally called the French Union (set up in 1946), it was reborn as the French Community in 1958—but was pretty much DEAD just 2 years later by late 1960. (It was not officially killed on paper until 1995 but virtually no one noticed!)
The French Community was a dismal failure compared to the British Commonwealth for many reasons, but perhaps ONE reason was that the Commonwealth had the Queen as the titular head of the whole organization, and as well that the Queen served as the Head of State for more than a dozen Commonwealth Realms such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.
In fact, four NEW countries joined the Commonwealth in the last few years despite NEVER having any British ties: The former French nations of Gabon and Togo, as well as Mozambique and Rwanda. They seem to know a good thing….
The British will not be as close to Europe in the future, they foolishly pulled out of the E.U. which is their own fault.
Canada will not be as close to the USA in the future, which is NOT Canada’s fault.
The Commonwealth is one vehicle that can help Great Britain and Canada to consolidate and enhance their ties, in an often unfriendly world.