Nov. 8 (UPI) — The newly elected mayor and four councilors in a small city in Canada are refusing to swear an oath to King Charles III, despite being required to do so in order to take office.
All five municipal politicians in Dawson City, Yukon, are required to swear an oath of allegiance to the British monarch, under the territory’s municipal act.
Failing to do so within 40 days of their election could lead to it being declared null and void, which would result in a new special election.
All five did swear or affirm their required oath of office, but they refused to take the oath of allegiance.
Dawson City is located on the Yukon River in the Yukon, with a population of about 32,000 people.
Mayor Stephen Johnson said the group made the decision collectively.
“Early in the morning we all got an email and it was from [Councilor] Darwyn [Lynn],” Johnson told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
“And he said I’m hesitant to sign on to this basically because of background history with [the] Crown and First Nations in Canada.”
The British monarch remains the official head of state for Canada, as well as fellow former British colonies New Zealand, Australia, Jamaica among others.
“I think this is a major thing for the Yukon. Whatever happens, this could be a change in regulation perhaps,” Johnson told the CBC.
“Understand too we are not going to agree on everything. We have our own thoughts and experiences. Disagreement is good as long as it’s respectful and you can learn something from that. And if you learn something from it you might be turned around in your thoughts too. So we shall see.”