By Staff
September 14th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Anne and Dave Marsden have been serving the Canadian community since 1990. Their mentor has always been Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Millions believe no-one has ever set the bar higher in terms of fulfillment of commitment to duty and service that came from a young wife and mother at the beginning of her 70 year reign.
Both were in Burlington Council Chambers September 13, as delegates at a Council Standing Committee and an interested party in two public meetings. Anne has for years unsuccessfully addressed the issue of the removal of Canada’s Head of State portrait from the Burlington Council Chambers. It went missing during a make-over of the Chambers some years ago.
Dave’s attention was caught by a black ribbon on a corner of a portrait of the Queen that had reappeared in the Chambers since her death. Both were astounded that it took the Queen’s death for her to reappear in her place of honour in the Burlington Council Chamber.
After seeing the Queen’s portrait returned after her death, the Marsdens knew they had to write and determine if there was support for their belief that the Head of Burlington Council, Marianne Meed Ward needed to apologize to the Queen’s family and the Burlington community for the disrespect they believe has been shown to the Queen since the 2018 election.
The Marsden’s want to know how people feel about the way the city administration has handled the return of the Queens portrait to the Council Chamber and the failure, as they see it, of the Mayor to show some leadership on an issue. They believe the Mayor and city administration:
1. Failed to address the Queen’s portrait being returned to the Council Chamber – it was removed several years ago after the Chamber received an updated look. Then they have the audacity to return the portrait, this week with a black ribbon across the left hand top corner, several days after the Queen’s death.
2. Failed to recognize the Queen’s amazing record of service and duty upon her 70th Platinum Jubilee. Not a mention of it from the incumbent Head of Burlington Council when announcing events for the month of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Fountain in Veteran’s Square has a 25 year Jubilee plaque on it, but nothing was done for her 70th jubilee. The fountain, a Burlington Heritage piece, was rotting away until Alan Harrington joined the Heritage Advisory Committee and took up the Marsden’s cry to do something about this rotting heritage piece.
3. Failed to communicate to the Press that there was a Book of Condolences available at City Hall and that City Hall would be open when everyone believes it is closed.
4. Failed to recognize by either mention or one minute silence at the first Standing Committee that our Queen and Head of State has passed despite knowing Canada is in mourning for ten days as signified by the flags at half-mast. Would they have been put at half-mast if the order had not come from Ottawa?
5. Failed to retake their oath of allegiance to the new monarch King Charles III before getting into any decision making. When the Clerk was asked why, he advised current oath would suffice – when government bodies all over the world are taking the new oath of allegiance.
If the incumbent mayor, who is Head of Council has such disrespect for her boss we need not go into the disrespect she has for those she put herself forward to serve as leader of a council whose role is spelt out in the Municipal Act as to represent the people, their well-being and interests.
The incumbent Mayor owes an apology on behalf of our City to the Queen’s family.
The Marsden’s feel the readers of the Gazette have an opportunity to agree or disagree in the Comments Section as to whether they agree or disagree an apology is necessary.
On some issues there are strong feelings. For many the fact that Canada is a Constitutional Monarch doesn’t mean very much. For other – this is close to sacred ground.
.
If the Marsdens actually claimed the Queen as their ‘mentor’, it is quite a stretch, implying a personal relationship. They seem quick to spin everything into a massive outrage against … whatever. ‘Serial complainers’ is quite appropriate – just imagine them as Mayors.
I was reading an article on the City News website written by Richard Southern and Meredith Bond. The article was focused on the refusal of an indigenous MPP to swear allegiance to King Charles III.
I thought Candidate Marsden would be interested in this excerpt from the article.
“Pledging to the Queen is unnecessary for a municipal setting, while some other provinces, including Alberta, have removed the requirement.”
Neither Southern nor Bond offer any source to substantiate the statement.
Here is a link to the entire article.
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/09/14/indigenous-mpp-sol-mamakwa-king-charles-oath/
Wikipedia states the following are required to swear allegiance to the monach:-
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_Allegiance_(Canada)
Federal
• Governors general of Canada[22]
• Members of the King’s Privy Council for Canada[24]
• Senators[4]
• Members of parliament[4]
• Clerk of the House of Commons[38]
• Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada
• Justices of the Federal Court of Appeal
• Justices of the Federal Court
• Justice of the Tax Court of Canada
• Citizenship Judges
• All employees of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service[39]
• Recruits of the Canadian Armed Forces[40]
• Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police[41]
• Officers of the Canada Border Services Agency
• Locally engaged staff at Canada’s foreign missions who are Canadian citizens [42]
• Employees of Correctional Service Canada
Provincial
• Lieutenant governors[43]
• Members of a legislature (MLAs, MPPs, MNAs, and MHAs)[4]
• Justices of the appellate courts, superior courts, and provincial courts
• Justices of the Peace in British Columbia[44]
• Auditor General of Ontario[45]
• Staff of the civil service in Ontario,[46] British Columbia,[47] and Manitoba[48]
• All other Crown appointees in Ontario[49]
• All police officers, railway constables, special constables, and reserve and auxiliary constables in British Columbia[50][51]
• All police officers, bylaw enforcement officers, and special constables in Nova Scotia[52]
• Community peace officers in the province of Alberta[53]
• All police officers in Saskatchewan,[54] New Brunswick,[55] and Alberta[56]
• Mayors and councillors in Nova Scotia[57]
• Medical examiners and investigators in Manitoba[58]
• Sheriffs in Newfoundland and Labrador[59]
• Lawyers in Alberta,[60] Newfoundland and Labrador,[61] Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island[62]
• Notaries public in Newfoundland and Labrador[63]
Other
• Board members of a regional district in British Columbia[72]
• Lawyers in Ontario,[73] Nova Scotia,[74] New Brunswick,[75] and Yukon[76]
• Police officers, special constables, and auxiliary constables in Ontario[77]
• Mayors and councillors in British Columbia
• School trustees in British Columbia[78]
• Priests and deacons at ordination and Rectors at inductions or installations in certain dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada.[79]
So, Candidate Marsden it would seem there is no requirement for Ontario councilors to swear allegiance to the monach.
OK?
David Baker
Not OK!
Section 232 of the Municipal Act
Declaration of Office.
Item 4 is pledge of allegiance to queen Elizabeth.
Now apologize.
OK?
Jim, calm down.
I am a monachist through and through. I stood on a pair of step ladders for hours outside St Paul’s for Charles and Diana’s wedding. I then walked the three or so miles over to Buckingham Palace with all the throng. I was outside Buckingham Palace to see the Queen and her family on the balcony at her Silver and Platinum Jubilee celebrations. OK?
What did did here was to quote two sources (City News and Wikipedea) that suggest an oath of allegiance to the crown is not required of Ontario municipal council members. I like the Gazette was simply reporting and in no way confirming the validity of either source.
So I have nothing to apologize for, and will not be offering an apology.
Please chill.
No you didn’t just report, you concluded based on faulty sources that there is no requirement for councilors to swear allegiance to the monarch.
You also suggested that a Candidate for Mayor was in error.
I believe you owe Candidate Marsden an apology.
Jim,
At the outset of my comment I said I thought Candidate Marsden “might be interested” in the referenced article.
At the end of my comment i said “So, Candidate Marsden it would seem there is no requirement for Ontario councilors to swear allegiance to the monach.
OK?”
I said “seem”. I did not say I accepted what the two publications professed. I just reported what each has published. I then asked if Marsden was OK with what the two publications had stated.
As to an apology to Marsden, it is not warranted. Even if it was, I would not offer Marsden an apology until after such time she answered the questions put to her by myself and others through the Gazette’s comment forum. Questions she continues to ignore.
Marsden as usual complaining about the past with no suggestions for the future. A serial complainer with nothing positive to offer.
Questions and comments for Marsden (no answers expected as she never answers questions put to her):-
– When was the portrait first removed?
– If prior to the 2018 start of this administration, is an apology sought from the previous mayor?
– Marsden has delegated on many, many occasions over the years. How often has she raised the question of the whereabouts of the portrait?
– Does Marsden appreciate that now following her death of the Queen it is now inappropriate to have her portrait in the council chamber. If to be re-hung it should be in a prominent position elsewhere in City Hall. A portrait of King Charles III should now be
Questions and comments for Marsden (no answers expected as she never answers questions put to her):-
– When was the portrait first removed?
– If prior to the 2018 start of this administration, is an apology sought from the previous mayor?
– Marsden has delegated on many, many occasions over the years. How often has she raised the question of the whereabouts of the portrait?
– Does Marsden appreciate that now following her death of the Queen it is now inappropriate to have her portrait in the council chamber. If to be re-hung it should be in a prominent position elsewhere in City Hall. A portrait of King Charles III should now be hung in the council chamber.
– Marsden should note that members of the UK House of Commons and House of Lords have not as yet sworn their allegiance to the King. That will take place shortly. The UK parliament (and other parliaments around the world, including Canada’s) has recognized Prince Charles as king, as King Charles III. King Charles has in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland (not yet Wales) declared his commitment to the parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. Marsden also received a clear answer to her question of the City Clerk on this subject. That answer was clear in that it said the City takes instruction on this matter from the Federal Government and does not act independently or unilaterally. As a mayoral candidate and royalist it’s surprising she did not know this.
– Is Marsden referribg to the King Edward Fountain. If so Marsden will recall I am sure that, she having been banned from City Hall for unbecoming behaviour, it was I, as a member of Heritage Burlington Advisiry Committee, who facilitated her being able to enter City Hall so that she might delegate to HBAC to press for the repair and refurbishment of the King Edward Fountain. HBAC approved a resolution to seek Council approval and support for its repair, and enlisted the advocacy of Mr Harrington and the Burlington Historicam Society. I do not believe Mr Harrington at that time was a member of HBAC.
– As to the lack of a Platinum Jubilee plaque, what then is your position as to the preceding jubilees – ruby, gold, diamond, and sapphire? Never a squeek out of you before at earlier administrations.
– Marsden, the ability of residents to access and sign a book of condolence at City Hall was announced by the City by its communications department via social media. I note it was posted on Facebook. It was also announced on the City’s website.
https://www.burlington.ca/en/news/city-invites-residents-to-remember-queen-elizabeth-ii.aspx
How about you, Candidate Marsden, start practicing the transparency and behaviour you demand of councilors. Stop ignoring questions put to you and provide the electorate with clear answers.