King Charles protest in Canada halts local council operations

Council operations in the Canadian town of Dawson City in Yukon Territory have come to a halt after elected officials refused to swear allegiance to King Charles.

Under the Municipal Act, this means the council cannot proceed with the business at hand.

"We can't do anything legally required of us under the Municipal Act, incumbent mayor Stephen Johnson has told BBC.

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"It's a bit of a sticky situation."

It is understood Johnson and new council members have refused to swear allegiance to King Charles due to Britain's history with Indigenous people in Canada.

Johnson explained they decided on the action in solidarity with new council member Darwyn Lynn, a member of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation.

Dawson City stands on the land of Tr'ondëk; its people were displaced due to the Klondike Gold Rush in 1896.

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Johnson said the refusal is "done with no disrespect to His Majesty King Charles."

This comes just weeks after Australian senator Lidia Thorpe shouted out a protest during King Charles' official visit to the country in October.

Thorpe, 51, called out "This is not your land" and "You are not my King, you are not our King" after Charles arrived at Parliament House in Canberra to give a speech.

Quebec removed the requirement to state an oath to the King ahead of serving in government in 2022, with a similar proposal made in national parliament. This was ultimately defeated 197-113 votes.

The newly-elected officials of Dawson City have until December 9 to take the oath.

King Charles and Queen Camilla's last visit to Canada took place in 2022 when they were still the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall – four months before the death of Queen Elizabeth in September, and ahead of their coronation in 2023.

The trip was to mark Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee.

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During the visit Charles met with Indigenous leaders, acknowledging the "dark" history of abuse against Indigenous children in Anglican Church schools across Canada.

Charles said the process of acknowledging the "darker aspects of the past" begins with "listening" to people.

"I know that our visit here this week comes at an important moment, with Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples across Canada committing to reflect honestly and openly on the past, and to forge a new relationship for the future," Charles said.

"We must find new ways to come to terms with the darker and more difficult aspects of the past, acknowledging, reconciling and striving to do better."

The Canadian government formally apologised for the centuries of abuse in 2008.

During his visit, Charles held hands with several Indigenous leaders representing the Innu nation, the NunatuKavut Community Council, Saqamaw and Chief of the Miawpokek First Nation and Chief of the Qalipu First Nation.

Charles and Camilla also attended a ceremony honouring the Indigenous children who attended residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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