Officer's complaint a royal pain, judge says
Captain of Irish descent objected to drinking to 'an unelected monarch of foreign origin'
TU THANH HA
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
January 22, 2008 at 4:03 AM EST
Outward displays of loyalty to the Queen are fundamental to Canadian military discipline, a judge has ruled, rejecting the complaint of an army officer of Irish ancestry who objected to toasting "an unelected monarch of foreign origin."
Captain Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh has campaigned for years to be excused from regimental dinner traditions such as toasting the Queen, saluting the Union Jack or singing God Save the Queen.
However, in a 28-page ruling released yesterday, Mr. Justice Robert Barnes of the Federal Court said confusion would ensue if members of the military could opt out of various protocol requirements.
"A chaotic and unworkable situation would arise in such an environment."
The ruling was the latest setback for Capt. Mac Giolla Chainnigh, who told the court that "he has throughout his military career consistently expressed his disaffection for the British monarchy."
In an interview yesterday, Capt. Mac Giolla Chainnigh, said that Canada, as a sovereign democracy, cannot be at the same time be beholden to a foreign queen. "It's a logical impossibility," he said.
He referred to the Queen as "Elizabeth Windsor."