BANK OF CANADA CONSIDERED DROPPING BRITISH MONARCHS

The Bank of Canada considered dispensing with tradition and removing the British monarch from its bank notes in the event of Queen Elizabeth II dying or abdicating.

The issue of Queen Elizabeth's death came up several times at the Bank of Canada between 2007 and 2015, according to documents obtained by Reuters under access-to-information laws.

The longest-reigning British monarch, the Queen appears on all standard Canadian coins, as well as on the C$20 bank note.

The 90-year-old Elizabeth, head of state of 16 Commonwealth countries including Canada and Australia, has reigned since 1952 and remains popular in the Northern American country.

In the documents, central bank staff working on the $20 bank note redesign in 2012 wrote that depicting the reigning British monarch was "a matter of tradition."

"In the event the Queen dies or abdicates before the new notes are issued, a decision will need to be taken as to whether to continue this tradition or to replace the image" with another portrait subject, a 2008 policy advice paper read.

The department did not directly respond to questions on the matter, saying it was focused on previously announced plans to feature a Canadian woman on an upcoming bank note in the 2018 series.

"No other changes are being considered at this time," it said.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

To read the complete article, see:
Canada considered ditching Prince Charles from $20 bank note if Queen died (www.theage.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/canada-considered-ditching-prince-charles-from-20-bank-note-if-queen-died-20161014-gs2yiz.html)

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