King Charles III stressed Canada's proud independence on Tuesday as he delivered a major speech to open parliament in Ottawa set against US President Donald Trump's threat to take over the country.
"Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination, and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the government is determined to protect," Charles said, adding that Canada was facing a "critical moment."
Prime Minister Mark Carney invited the 76-year-old British monarch — who is the Canadian head of state — to the capital, accompanied by Queen Camilla.
The king has never publicly commented on Trump's repeated talk of making Canada the 51st US state, but his language was closely watched for veiled references.
Although the speech was read by the king as if his own words, it was written by the prime minister's office to set out the government's priorities to "build Canada strong" and how it aims to achieve them.
In addition to his annexation threats, Trump has also launched tariff wars, particularly targeting Canada, a member of the 56-nation British Commonwealth.
"The system of open global trade that, while not perfect, has helped to deliver prosperity for Canadians for decades, is changing," Charles said, in cautious words.
"We must be clear-eyed: the world is a more dangerous and uncertain place than at any point since the Second World War."
The speech was delivered in the Senate — a former railway station that has been converted while parliament undergoes renovations — with past prime ministers, Supreme Court justices and Indigenous leaders in feather headdresses in attendance.
"You see the enthusiasm for our institutions," Carney said in reference to cheering crowds awaiting the king. "Our sovereignty is strong."
King Charles's "speech from the throne" was the first by a monarch in nearly half a century. It was delivered by Charles's mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, in 1957 and 1977.
"In terms of symbolism, it's extraordinary," said Felix Mathieu, a politics professor at the University of Quebec in Outaouais.
Tuesday's event, Mathieu said, was a message to Trump to show him that "Canada is not alone in this fight."
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ