Post #220354 by Tikiwahine on Sun, Mar 12, 2006 4:24 PM

The Queen has a minimum effect on our day-to-day lives as Canadians.

Our coins carry the Queen's image on the 'head' side, she is also featured on the $20 bill.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a Commonwealth Realm with Queen Elizabeth II as its reigning monarch, since February 6, 1952.

Most of the Queen of Canada's domestic duties are performed by the Governor General of Canada at the federal level and Lieutenant governors at the Provincial. There are few duties which must be performed specifically by the Queen (e.g., signing the appointment papers of Governors General and Lieutenant), or require assent by the Queen as well as the Governor General, but on occasion the monarch must personally act directly in partisan affairs.

Our navy's ships are referred to using the prefix "HMCS";
Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) is the English designation of any Canadian warship. It derives from "Her Majesty's Ship" (HMS) used in the United Kingdom. The British monarch is also equally and separately the Canadian head of state. Should the queen be replaced by a king, the designation also changes to "His" rather than "Her" Majesty. Ships bearing this designation are the responsibility of the Canadian Forces Maritime Command.

[ Edited by: Tikiwahine 2006-03-12 16:34 ]