Canadian republicans will be back in court next week in their attempt to free new citizens from the requirement that they swear loyalty to a hereditary head of state.
Earlier this year the Canadian government lost its attempt in the Ontario Superior Court to stop the class action going forward. Next week the Attorney General will ask the Court of Appeal to reverse the lower court’s ruling that the legal proceedings have merit.
The legal challenge to the monarchist oath has been filed by civil rights lawyer Charles Roach. He believes that forcing people to swear what they do not believe is “coercion of conscience”. On behalf of all the litigants he will argue that the oath is inconsistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which commits Canada to equality.