King Charles III gave a rare royal speech from Canadian Parliament, highlighting the country’s sovereignty in a new era of “dangerous and uncertainty.”
Tuesday’s so-called “speech from the throne” was historic. It was the first time Charles had given a speech from Canada since he became king, and only the third annual speech was given to commence parliamentary sessions by the British monarch, not the crown representative.
Speaking from the Ottawa Senate, Charles tried to build the event as what is happening during the equally historic “epoch.” In a statement, President Donald Trump’s destructive policies that have launched a trade war with Canada and threatened to turn the country into the “51st state” of the United States are looming heavily.
The king remembered his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and gave him his first “speech from the throne” in 1957, in the wake of World War II and as the Cold War intensified.
“Since then, history has been separated by the times-making events, the Vietnam War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the beginning of the war against terrorism,” he said.
“Today, Canada is facing another important moment. The world is a more dangerous and uncertain place than any point since World War II. Canada faces unprecedented challenges in our lifetime.”
This was an important takeaway from the speech:
sovereignty
The Trump administration was mentioned directly at once during his speech, but the policies pursued since Trump took office on January 20th were prominent.
In his opening statement, Charles said he felt a “deep sense of pride” when he and his wife, Camilla, witnessed “the Canadians come together with a new sense of pride, unity and hope of the nation.”
“Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination, freedom are values that Canadians value and values that governments are determined to protect,” he said.
Speaking to Justin Vobuk’s Al Jazeera, a royal historian at McMaster University in Ontario, the speech said it puts even more weight behind Canada in the face of pressure from the US. The address was actually written by the Canadian government, but with Prime Minister Mark Carney headed, Charles would have had to “approve the speech.”
“He would have admitted his comfort by saying everything he said,” Vovk said. “So we reaffirmed the fact that Canada has its own identity at the global stage, meaning that Canada has not abandoned its place and its role in international alliances.”
Trade wars
But far from a tilade towards Trump, Vovk pointed out that Charles’ speech is particularly important for his cautious tone towards the United States. That was especially true with regard to Trump’s tariffs in Canada and the references to tensions he has created for his longtime trading partners.
“The system of open global trade, which is not perfect, has helped bring prosperity to Canadians for decades, is changing,” Charles admitted early. “The relationship between Canada and its partners is also changing.”
But after a while, Charles welcomed the change in Canada-US relationship, with his only direct reference to Trump, as an example of new opportunities created by change.
“For example, the Prime Minister and the US President have begun a new definition of economic and security relations between Canada and the US,” he said.
As he balances that, the speech was “actually very surprising,” said historian Vovk.
“There was a real focus on cooperation between Canada and the US,” he said. “I think there was a lot in that speech that said Donald Trump should be satisfied or perhaps he would be happy.”
Border Issues
One notable message to Trump is based on references to the US-Canadian border issue.
Before imposing a 25% tariff on many Canadian goods, Trump had called on Canada to crack down on immigration and drug trafficking at the border, particularly fentanyl.
Critics have declared that 27kg (59 pounds) of fentanyl was seized at the US Canadian border, as data shows that it was very misguided, as it accounted for 0.1% of US authorities’ seizures of drugs from 2022 to 2024.
Nevertheless, Charles welcomed immediate legislation, such as “trying to enhance security at Canadian borders.”
“Law enforcement and intelligence reporting agencies have new tools to stop the flow of fentanyl and its precursors,” he said.
Charles also referred to immigration, saying the Canadian government would “balance” the issue.
It reiterated the campaign promises from Kearney, who was fighting for former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pushback to immigration policies.
Domestic flights
Other important issues for the newly elected prime minister, whose liberals won 170 seats in the 343-member House in April, were also mentioned in the speech.
Charles pointed to the country’s housing crisis and Kearney’s plans to surge in prefabricated and modular home construction. He pointed to efforts to remove “barriers to trade and labor mobility” across 13 Canadian provinces.
He also referred to plans to speed up energy projects, saying that change “will not only survive the ongoing trade war, but unleash a new era of growth that is coming out stronger than ever.”
Charles also pointed to unique relationships with indigenous groups such as the Inuit and Metis people, and there were many treaties with more crowns than Canada’s founding in 1867. He supported the ongoing “reconciliation” between the group and the Canadian government, or efforts to repair historical harm.
“It is my great hope to see a path towards truth and reconciliation in both your respective communities and as a nation, both in your words and in your actions,” the monarch said.
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