King Charles III stresses self-determination in historic speech in Canada

On Tuesday, the king of the United Kingdom opened the 45th Parliament of Canada by delivering a speech from the throne.  The king's historic speech came on the second day of his planned two-day visit to Canada, his first official visit to Canada since assuming the throne in 2022. King Charles III arrived at the Senate of Canada Building to full military honors, including a royal salute. Neither the king nor his advisers wrote the speech he delivered to open Parliament. Rather, the king read what Canada’s prime minister and his team provided. New sessions of Parliament begin with a speech usually delivered by Canada's governor general, who is the monarch’s representative. The speech outlines the government’s direction and plan to achieve its goals.

So why did King Charles III give the speech? Upon the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles became the sovereign of Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth. His ceremonial authority makes him Canada’s head of state.

What did Charles say in his speech? King Charles III first recalled the speech from the throne made by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, when she opened a new Canadian Parliament in 1957. He catalogued the tumultuous events that occurred since then, including the Vietnam War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the War on Terror. He insisted that Canada now faced a critical moment and said its democracy, values, and spirit of self-determination must be protected. He also said Canada is redefining a new economic and security relationship with the United States, which he said would be rooted in mutual respect and founded on common interests. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged Canada to become the 51st American state.

What else happened during the trip? Previously, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife greeted King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Monday afternoon in the capital city of Ottawa. The first day of the visit included a ceremonial tree planting, an audience with Governor General Mary Simon, and a meeting with Carney.

Dig deeper: Read Craig A. Carter’s column in WORLD Opinions about Canada’s new prime minister.