Swearing in Public

Canadian citizenship ceremony

The Liberal government has just announced it will add a reference to treaties with Canada’s Indians and native people to the Oath of Citizenship. New Canadians will now pledge not just to obey the laws, but to honour the treaties.

The old oath:

“I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, her heirs and successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.”

The proposed new oath:

“I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, her heirs and successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada including treaties with Indigenous Peoples, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen."

This was one of the daffiest suggestions by the recent Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The good news is that it does nothing. Individual Canadians are not party to these treaties, and could not, with all the best of intentions, possibly violate them. So, I suppose, it was one suggestion bound to be implemented: precisely because it costs nothing and means nothing.

No, it does not in some way enshrine treaties or treaty rights in the Canadian fabric. The oath of citizenship can be changed by simple government legislation at any time.

It just kind of makes us look stupid.

I guess new Canadians needed to know.