Canada town offered alternative after refusal to take King's oath

Newly-elected Dawson City councillors had refused to take the oath, citing the British Crown's history with indigenous peoples.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersCanada town council gets alternative after refusal to take King's oathGetty ImagesOfficials in Dawson City, a town in Canada, refused to take pledge allegiance to the Crown over Canada's fraught history with indigenous peopleA Canadian territory has changed its rules for elected municipal officials, allowing them to take an oath pledging allegiance to the country's constitution instead of the Crown when they are sworn in.

The change comes after the newly-elected council of Dawson City, Yukon, refused to take the King's oath in solidarity with an indigenous council member who raised concerns about the Crown’s history in Canada.

The protest delayed their confirmation and placed the town's governance at a standstill.

On Friday, the territory announced that they have adjusted the law to give the option of taking one of the two oaths.

Richard Mostyn, Yukon’s minister of community services, said the change “allows elected municipal officials to take the Oath of Allegiance in a way that aligns with society’s broader values and cultural identities”.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm272nglelqo

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