disavowal.ca: no oath to the monarchy!

Citizen	Oath date / Disavowal date	Notes
Ashok Charles	1997 / May 20, 2004	Ashok is the Executive Director of Republic Now. He was the first to disavow the oath, writing to The Honourable Ms. Judy Sgro, then the minister of citizenship and immigration: "It is my view that it is entirely inappropriate for Canada to require of its citizenry, allegiance to a monarch. I see this state-sanctioned subjugation as detrimental to our national spirit and to the fulfillment of Canada's role, internationally, as an independent democracy". His disavowal letter, and the government's response, are here.
Peter Rosenthal	Circa 1990 / November 14, 2015	Peter was the primary counsel to the applicants in McAteer v. Canada. His formal disavowal letter is here (pdf, unsigned) and here (jpg, signed). He writes: "In case my silence was or is interpreted as acquiescence, I hereby disavow any implication that I ever affirmed any allegiance to any monarch."
Dror Bar-Natan ✉	November 30, 2015 / same day	Dror is the curator of this web site and was one of the applicants in McAteer v. Canada. "I sent an intent/explanation letter to the citizenship judge and two government ministers before taking the oath. At the very end of the citizenship ceremony I said to the citizenship judge: I affirm my allegiance, my true allegiance, to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. I then handed him a written disavowal letter. A more complete description of my relationship with the oath is here."
Masrour Zoghi	2001 / November 29, 2015	Masrour: "As someone put it recently, because it's 2015."
Josh Smithson	May 16, 2014 / November 29, 2015	Josh: I became a Citizen on May 16th 2014 and was not looking forward to "pledging allegiance" to some woman who was born to privilege.
Karolina Sygula	November 20, 1985 / November 29, 2015	Karolina: Monarchies are anachronistic abominations; addressing other human beings as "Your Majesty" or "Your Royal Highness" is utterly absurd. I am no one's subject.
Ali Paknia	2011 / November 29, 2015	Ali: "I cannot be faithful to a person since I'm a free human being".
Jonathan Korman	Early 90s / November 30, 2015	Jonathan: "I agree with all you said in your letter about Monarchy being a symbol of privilege".
Suraia Sahar	1993 (by a parent) / November 30, 2015	Suraia: "I pledge my solidarity with the Indigenous people of this land".
Adrian Harper	November 21, 1975 / November 30, 2015	Adrian: "at last!", "I was surprised and disappointed to discover that in order to gain my Canadian citizenship, I had to swear an oath, partly, to the queen I thought I'd left behind."
Terence Stone	February 11, 2015 / November 30, 2015	Terence: "Since February 11, I have carried the terrible feeling that I compromised my integrity; and so now I'm repairing that harm to myself by disavowing my pledge of allegiance to the Queen and body Royal in perpetuity."
Vincent Delogne	2001 / November 30, 2015	Vincent: "I am proud to be a Canadian citizen but have no feeling of allegiance to the British crown. In fact, I think royalty is an antiquated tradition that has no place in 2015 anywhere in the world, especially not in a modern, dynamic and equalitarian country like Canada."
Songhao Li	August 21, 2012 / December 1, 2015	Songhao: "I look forward to the day that Canada becomes a republic."
Maria Marquez	1998 / December 1, 2015	Maria: I took the Oath in 1998 which today December 1st, I disavow. Instead I take this new oath created in 1991 as requested by Citizenship and Immigration Canada "I am a citizen of Canada and I make this commitment: to uphold our laws and freedoms, to respect our people in their diversity, to work for our common well-being and to safeguard and honour this ancient Northern land." I love this country!!!!!
Seyed N. Mousavian	March 2012 / December 1, 2015	Seyed: "I hereby disavow any implication that I ever affirmed any allegiance to any monarch."
Harvey Nagelberg	April 14, 2003 / December 1, 2015	No comments.
Steven: Bydeley	December 12, 1961 (by a parent) / December 1, 2015 and April 1, 2016	Steven: I disavow that I will be "faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors." I pledge instead to stand, as equals, with the people on this geographical land mass known as Canada and the rule of Law, "To live honourably; to hurt nobody; to render to everyone his due."
Gerard Muir	June 15, 1983 / December 1, 2015	Gerard: I became a Canadian Citizen June 15, 1983, and consider Canada my home. On December 1, 2015, I disavow the section of the Citizenship oath that pledges allegiance to the British Crown in perpetuity. The British Crown and what is represented by it are incompatible with my values.
Nicolas Le Gall	September 1, 2010 / December 1, 2015	My name is Nicolas, originally from France. I have been living in Canada (Montréal) for 10 years and took the oath of Canadian citizenship on September 1st, 2010. I must admit that I have always been sort of ashamed for pledging allegiance to the Queen of England. I would like to bring you my support and thank you for your initiative. Please register my disavowal on your website. The part of the oath about the Queen has always bothered me for several reasons: - I feel no allegiance whatsoever to the Queen of ENGLAND. - Monarchy in general is preposterous, an antiquated sign of the people's submission to a chosen few on dubious grounds. - Why must we new Canadian citizens take the oath while people who were born Canadians do not have to? Though we had a choice, it seems like a double standard to me. - Other countries like New Zealand and Australia have removed from their oath the part about the Queen. - Although I fully understand that it comes with the territory (so to speak), I moved to Québec more than I moved to Canada (which I have nothing against - it's just a vastly different culture). The Queen is even less relevant here, and the most convenient way for me to stay here was to become a Canadian citizen. Keep up the good work and please don't let a few haters deter you from continuing your fight.
Georgi Krumov	October 2010 / December 1, 2015	Georgi: I disavow the section of the Citizenship oath that pledges allegiance to the British Crown in perpetuity. I hereby disavow any implication that I ever affirmed any allegiance to any monarch.
Valleri Blake	1975 / December 2, 2015	Valleri: As an immigrant from a former British colony, I was particularly unhappy about the oath which I took in 1975 to become a citizen of this amazing country. I would like to finally register my disavowal of that oath and proudly substitute a slightly revised Australian version. "From this time forward, under God, I pledge my loyalty to Canada and its people, whose democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey,"
Patricia Warwick	March 8, 1973 / December 2, 2015	Patricia: Here is what I would prefer to have vowed "I affirm that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen." Before coming to Canada I was a British subject, and I was not required to take the oath back there - and I wouldn't have, even there.
Patrice Obertelli	2005 / December 3, 2015	Patrice: Promettre sa fidélité et allégeance à la reine d’Angleterre est politiquement absurde, anachronique et raciste : La reine n’a aucun vrai pouvoir ici et personne ne devrait avoir un privilège dû purement au fait qu’il est sorti d’un ventre plutôt que d’un autre. Le pouvoir héréditaire est un d’autre temps.
Sheila McCrindle	1983 / December 3, 2015	Sheila: I Sheila McCrindle, took the oath of Citizenship in 1983. I did not like swearing allegiance to a monarch then, so I am thankful for the opportunity to disavow the part of the oath in which I said I would swear allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors. I will however continue to be faithful to the laws of Canada and fulfill my role as a Canadian citizen. Monarchy is such a ridiculous medieval concept. And it’s 2015.
Sujeewa Kumaratunga	December 2, 2015 / December 4, 2015	Sujeewa: As it is not in accordance with my democratic principles, I hereby disavow any allegiance to the monarch that might have been implied in the portion of the oath of citizenship, taken on December 2nd, 2015, in Montreal, QC that reads: "I affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors". This is in accordance with the advice of Weiler, Lauwers and Pardu JJ.A., in their ruling on McAteer v. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76: "... the appellants have the opportunity to publicly disavow what they consider to be the message conveyed by the oath. ...".
Nassim Noroozi	November 21, 2014 / December 5, 2015	Nassim: I took the pledge of allegiance to the Royal family while I was literally shivering: how can one pledge allegiance to a royal family who has inherited a legacy of colonialism and genocide of indigenous peoples of the americas, the peoples whose lands we are standing on while taking the oath? I believe that fighting for a more ethical and just world is in contradiction with taking this oath. As someone else said, I am hoping to repair my compromised integrity by this disavowal. I wish to publicly disavow my oath and reaffirm my commitment to being a good citizen and an ally to the indigenous people of the Americas - specifically the people of the Haudenosaunee territories.
Asif Rahman	1999 / December 12, 2015	Asif: Effective immediately please register my disavowal to the British monarchy and I reaffirm that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen. I became a Canadian citizen in 1999. I wish I knew then what I know now. I let myself down the day I declared my allegiance to a monarchy who's foreign policy was to invade foreign lands and subjugate its inhabitants. I have relieved myself from a heavy burden today.
Jake Javanshir ✉	1973 / December 21, 2015	Jake: I came to Canada on August, 1970 and disavow on December, 21, 2015. I resented the part of the oath in regard to a few privileged people in England in 1970 but could not do anything about it, and resent it up to this day. My solidarity is to Canada and humanity which is based on justice and decency and being a good citizen of the world, not to an antiquated system of "Royals and Royalties, kings, queens, princesses and on..." which should have been done away with, long long ago. This was a form of abuse of the masses then and still is in one way or another. No, no allegiance to any family in a country which I have nothing to do with.
Bernie Roycroft	1994 / January 5, 2016	Bernie: I came to Canada from the Republic of Ireland in 1990, became a citizen in 1994, and took the Citizenship Oath feeling like a small child with fingers crossed behind my back. It has nagged my conscience ever since, and thank you for bringing the issue to the fore, and allowing people like me to clear the air. The monarchy, in my view, is a relic of times gone by, and should have no place in today's Canada.
Kerstin Jarecki-Khan	April 2006 / January 14, 2016	Kerstin: I disavow any implied allegiance to Royalty, yet uphold the principles of democracy, freedom and compassion as a Canadian citizen.
Eric Dumonteil	February 19, 2016 / same day	French, English, then Doc. French: "J’ai décidé de désavouer la partie du serment de citoyenneté concernant la monarchie car il est assez difficile pour moi d’assumer consciemment de jurer d’être fidèle et de porter sincère allégeance à quelqu’un qui a hérité de ses privilèges, et qui n’a à prouver d’autre mérite que le fait d’être né “enfant de”. A fortiori, comment pourrais-je rationnellement jurer la même chose à ses héritiers et successeurs? Signer un chèque en blanc à des personnes qui n'existent pas? Pas moi. Il semblerait que nous vivions dans un pays libre, les gens qui le veulent sont libres de le faire. Cette partie monarchiste du serment ne devrait pas exister, selon moi." English: "I have decided to disavow because it is pretty hard for me to assume consciously to swear to be faithful and to bear true allegiance to someone which has inherited of her privileges, and without having to prove any other merit than the fact to be the "child of". A fortiori, how could I rationally swear the same thing to her heirs and successors? Signing a blank check to some people that don’t exist yet? Not for me. It seems that we are living in a free country, people who want to do that are free to do it. This monarchy part of the oath doesn’t have to exist, according me." Doc: LetterToJudge.pdf
Ezra de Leon	2002 / February 28, 2016	Ezra: When I swore my citizenship oath in 2002 I thought of the oath to the Queen as a pointless formality. However, upon reflection since then I realized that it is undemocratic to force a new Canadian to swear allegiance to an unelected and unaccountable hereditary ruler who doesn't even reside in Canada. Monarchy is an outdated and unnecessary system and the fact that many Canadians still feel beholden to the English royal family is an embarrassment. Canada is a modern country that deserves to stand on its own and does not need to harbour such provincial attitudes. The oath to the Queen must be removed and Canada must become a republic.
Vahid R. Afshar	April 2, 2014 / February 29, 2016	Vahid: Folks, by taking a look into history, being loyal to the royal family of England (United Kingdom of Great Britain), which has inherited a legacy of colonialism of indigenous peoples of the americas and those people whose lands we are standing on, while taking the oath in the twenty-first century, is morally not right. For this reason I disavow that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty. Instead, I affirm my allegiance to Canada and to the people of Canada.
Chi Shun Hui	1987 / March 9, 2016	Chi Shun: To right the wrong of the past, I wish to have an aboriginal person as a first elected president in Canada. Read Chi Shun's full letter to the Honourable John McCallum, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
Lorraine Harrilal	March 14, 2016 / same day	Lorraine's disavowal letter is titled "Love for Canada: Repudiation of Monarchy". Click on it for the full size version.
Bill Bedford	January, 2016 / March 31, 2016	Bill: I became a Canadian citizen in Jan 2016 and I'd like to join your list. I am a Brit by birth and believe both countries would be much better of ditching this anachronistic institution.
Graham Morton	? / March 31, 2016	Graham: I made the oath at my citizenship swearing-in at the age of 16 along with my family. I was shocked and angered at the time but didn't want to embarass my parents. As an anti-monarchist I was surprised that the oath was included, but the anger came from the fact that in such a modern country, a reasonable person would be coerced into supporting an outdated and irrelevent concept in order to participate fully in society. It is a sneaky and dishonest way to distort the level of support for a an institution that represents the predatory and obsolete traditions people came to Canada to escape.
Marcia Sarjudeen	November 11, 2014 / April 14, 2016	Marcia: I did not wish to pledge my allegiance to any individual. I felt uncomfortable doing it because it went against my principles. The United States gives the citizenship candidate an opportunity to waive parts of the oath (see here). This should also be the case in a forward thinking country like Canada which considers itself to be a tolerant soceity. I therefore through this website publicly disavow on this day April 14th 2016, the oath I made to the Queen and her successors on the day of my citizenship November 11th 2014.
Srabon Salim	April 29, 2016 / same day	The Prince George Citizen: New citizen takes stand against swearing allegiance to the Queen.
Gwyn Campbell	November 4, 2016 / same day	Gwyn: I salute the commitment to multiculturalism, defined in “Discover Canada” as a “fundamental characteristic of the Canadian heritage and identity.” However, as a Welsh-speaking Welshman, French-speaking resident of Québec, and Canada Research Chair in Indian Ocean World History at McGill University, I am acutely conscious that for many in this plural society the Crown represents a deeply divisive history of English colonialism and imperial exploitation. Read Gwyn Campbell's full disavowal letter.
Khushwant Singh Aulakh	2006 / November 8, 2016	Khushwant: I took my citizenship oath in 2006 and I was gritting my teeth when I had to owe allegiance to the Monarchy. Now I have an opportunity to make the right choice. I, KHUSHWANT SINGH AULAKH, publicly disavow the allegiance I swore to Queen Elizabeth II and her successors.
Robert L. Jerrard	January 19, 2017 / same day	Robert: As a new Canadian citizen, I support abolishing the monarchy and replacing it by a political system with an elected head of state.
Giuseppe Bentivegna	1960s / February 6, 2017	Giuseppe: I also have felt uncomfortable and humiliated for many years about having taken the Oath and pledging allegiance to the queen. I am a proud Canadian and a law-abiding citizen and I rather pay allegiance to Native Americans or historical Canadian figures. The queen is only symbolic and powerless and abstract; she is non-existent for me. Besides, she is a foreigner whereas I'm a Canadian and I count more than her in this beautiful and fantastic country.
Azfar Zaheer	March 9, 2017 / same day	Azfar: I am not going to swear allegiance to anyone with privilege and who have earned and maintained that privilege by colonizing and exploiting nations all over the world. I should be treated with dignity and respect and not as a subject to a monarch. Read Azfar Zaheer's full disavowal letter.
Rozmin Parpia	May 15, 2015 / April 7, 2017	Rozmin: I'm originally from India and as a child I read in my History text books the atrocities of British rule in India. I remember feeling so conflicted during the pledging allegiance to the queen part of the oath ceremony. I strongly believe people should be permitted to opt out of it. It shouldn't be a mandatory requirement for citizenship.
Khalid Qureshi	2005 / same time and May 21, 2017	Khalid: I affirm my allegiance to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. I cannot bear allegiance to any person especially with that families colonial past.
Sabbiha Mamoona	2009 / same time and May 21, 2017	Sabbiha: I affirm my allegiance to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. I cannot bear allegiance to British Royals.
Iram Irfan	October 20, 2017 / same day
Anshul Agrawal	January 8, 2018 / January 10, 2018	Anshul: I affirm my allegiance, my true allegiance, to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. As a Canadian and a native of a former British Colony, I do not feel right about swearing allegiance to the British Crown, which is responsible for the genocide of indigenous people in Canada and the people of pre-independent India.
Florin Salajan	April 24, 2007 / April 24, 2018	Florin: I understand that, in the Supreme Court's interpretation, allegiance to the monarch is largely symbolic and should be taken as a commitment to Canada's form of government. However, in its current formulation, the oath generates ambiguity with this implicit claim, since the perceived image of the monarch as a representation of the state cannot exist in the absence of a physical representation of the monarch. No less problematic in this dualistic image is the inherent imposition of an unequal hierarchical power relation between the monarch and her/his subject(s), which departs from modern democratic government norms of equality, fairness and inclusiveness with which many new Canadians associate their adoptive country. Read Florin Salajan's full disavowal letter to the Prime Minister of Canada and the response from the Prime Minister's office.
Ann Magner	May 2003 / July 2018	Ann: We are all human beings, our allegiance must be to our fellow human beings, our Mother Earth and all living things. I hereby disavow allegiance to the queen, her heirs and successors, and I affirm that I am a citizen of Canada, and I make this commitment: to uphold our laws and freedoms; to respect our people in their diversity; to work for our common well-being; and to safeguard and honour this ancient northern land. Read the exchange between Ann Magner and Neil R. Ellis, M.P., Bay of Quinte.
Mohammadhadi Baligh	December 7, 2007 / August 24, 2018
Kianoosh Mokhtarian	July 17, 2018 / September 11, 2018	Kianoosh: I took the pledge of allegiance to the monarchy at the citizenship ceremony solely out of necessity and with much discomfort, and would like to take it back now. Monarchy has no place in a 21st century democracy, let alone that the British Monarchy is more of a symbol of colonialism and genocide than of the Canadian pride.
Joseph G. Howard	May 13, 2019 / same day	Joseph: Whereas inherited privilege is repugnant to the values of democracy and equality before the law; Whereas the English Crown is a symbol of colonial and religious oppression and persecution around the world, and; Whereas the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of conscience and freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression; In accord with a ruling made by the Court of Appeal for Ontario concerning the Citizenship Oath (McAteer v. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76) that "the appellants have the opportunity to publicly disavow what they consider to be the message conveyed by the oath" I hereby renounce and rescind the section of the Citizenship Oath relating to the monarchy that I was, by law, obliged to take earlier today in order to become a Canadian citizen. Read Joseph's full letter to the presiding offcier at their citizenship ceremony.
Erin Wright	September 5, 2017 / July 1, 2019	Erin: I disavow that I will "be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, her Heirs and Successors." The monarchy is deeply anti-democratic and anti-egalitarian, and it represents the colonial past. I do not support it.
Constantina Stancovici	1989 / October 23, 2019	Constantina: I Constantina Stancovici Canadian citizen disavow the pledge of allegiance to the British monarchy. I am not the servant or the subject of anybody. I am a free woman. the british monarchy does not have any servants in Canada. It is a free people.
Levon Amatuni	January 15, 2020 / February 10, 2020	Levon: Here, I affirm my allegiance to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. I would like to avoid bearing thoughtless allegiance to any person or a family as the history of humanity has clearly shown that such cults of personality frequently bring disastrous outcomes to societies practicing such. Any blind allegiance, in my view, independent to the kindness of the subject, does not align with the fundamental Canadian principles of equality and democracy.
Sayyed Mehdi	October 1, 2020 / same day	Sayyed: In accordance with the ruling of the Court of Appeal for Ontario (McAteer vs. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76), "...appellants have the opportunity to publicly disavow what they consider to be the message conveyed by the oath...." I hereby completely disavow the first 25 words of the Citizenship oath. I regard that as an unnecessary oath of allegiance to a hereditary oligarchy. I wholeheartedly embrace the last 16 words of the oath which are "... I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen".
Cian McCabe	October 28, 2020 / same day	Cian: I am 20 years old and this morning, the morning of the 28th of October 2020 I took my oath of citizenship. Whilst I am from England originally, my parents instilled a healthy distaste for hereditary rule in me from a young age. I understand the necessity for a healthy democratic society to up hold the responsibilities of citizenship and my obligation to the people of this, or any land I dwell in, is clear. My distaste, has however in my own dabbling in political thought become a moral disdain. I would like therefor, to add my Disavowel of the first half of the oath to this website so it may be preserved for posterity.
Pinaki Mondal	2011 / June 1, 2021	Pinaki: The Flying Spaghetti Monster is more worthy of my pledge of allegiance than the queen and her heirs and successors.
Sayyed Raza	2016 / February 15, 2016	Sayyed: No human is superior to others by virtue of their birth. I hereby completely disavow the first 25 words of the Citizenship oath.
Lincoln Stoller	November 2021 / December 2021	Lincoln: I, Lincoln Stoller, a Canadian Citizen do disavowal my declarations of allegiance to the Crown, the Queen of England, and to all other monarchs, royalty, and independent agents who would interfere with the rights and obligations of Canadian citizenship.
Andrew Bennett	January 19, 2022 / same day	Andrew: I sent a letter of disavowal regarding the Oath of Allegiance within minutes of my virtual ceremony. Gaining citizenship online thwarted my handing over a letter in person to the presiding officer or clerk, but I have achieved the point of principle nonetheless and registered my unhappiness about being obliged to take the Oath.
Hao Ming Lu	December 2006 / April 15, 2022	Hao Ming: I, Hao Ming Lu, publicly disavow that I will "be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors".
Austin William Blanchett	May 6, 2022 / same day	Austin: The oath suggests that in order to become a citizen of Canada, I have to swear allegiance to Britain’s dictators and their family who is known as Queen of foreign country called England, who have earned and maintained gains throughout her colonies by colonizing, murdering, torturing and looting nations all over the world. Therefore, I disavow the first part of my oath but but I will continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath. Read Austin William Blanchett's full disavowal letter.
Xiaotong Zhang	July 27, 2021 / June 1, 2022	Xiaotong: Canada is no longer a colony of Great Britain anymore. It’s like a marriage, I marry to Canada, I plead my loyalty to Canada. I’m not marrying to Great Britain, and Canada is an independent country now. As discovery Canada says, queen is a symbolism for monarchy, and personalization about Monarchy.
Sunil Vasudevan	June 14, 2022 / same day	Sunil: Thanks to the Disavowal team for making this a possibility. I was eligible to become a Canadian Citizen a few years back but was hesitant to apply for citizenship because of the "oath" . I was renewing my PR until I came across this website. The fight is not over yet still many will be like me hesitant to become a citizen because of the oath. The Next step is to remove the first part of the oath, "if Australia could do it why Canada cannot?" Together we can make this possible for the future citizens. Read Sunil Vasudevan's full disavowal letter.
Sridevi Baskar	June 14, 2022 / same day	Sridevi: Thanks Disavowal team to guide us with this process. We received an acknowledgement stating "they have noted our concerns" bit really want them to change the oath. This is stopping many eligible residents from taking the citizenship. Hope soon the oath would change.
Qasim Afridi	August 4, 2022 / same day	Qasim: Today I experienced firsthand how Canada engages in blatant violation of Human Rights and how Canada forces and subjugates immigrants who become citizens to recite allegiance to the British Monarch and her extended family. The Royal Family is a morally sick and bankrupt institution and historically nothing more than brutal colonizers. As having connections to both the Indian subcontinent and Ireland, I feel every fibre of my body shaking for being forced to take this oath of allegiance to the Queen of England. Britain oppressed India and Ireland for centuries, created famines that killed and displaced millions, tied people to cannons and blew them to bits, and forced Indians to grow poppy instead of food crops so they could sell opium like a vicious drug cartel to the Chinese people and keep them addicted to narcotics for their own greed and profits and when China tried to stop this drug business of Britain to protect their people, they even went to war against China! The United Kingdom headed by the Monarchy destroyed every single country it ruled by propping up a puppet ruler class who to this day cares more about their personal bank accounts than the welfare of their people. Is this what we are supposed to pledge allegiance to for becoming Canadian citizens? Shame on this system of evil oppression. I and my family thus disavow the part of the oath that pledges allegiance to the Queen. I love Canada and the Canadian people but allegiance to the British Monarchy has no place in an enlightened and multicultural country such as ours. For people who think this oath is just symbolic and does not mean anything literally, I ask them why don't you get rid of this insanity altogether then? We stand in solidarity with the real owners of this land the indigenous people, who to this date cannot get fresh clean water at their reservations in this country of a million freshwater lakes and whose children were brutally murdered in cold blood under British Colonialism. For those who have been brainwashed at school about British Colonialism please watch this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7CW7S0zxv4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SEPPnd3380 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpMAy6pfHbM "The Almighty, indeed, sent the potato blight, but the English created the famine" "Be advised my passport's Green No Glass of ours was ever raised to toast the Queen"
Annabelle Paré	September 1, 2022 / same day	Annabelle: Je souhaite affirmer ma véritable allégeance au Canada et au peuple canadien, mais aussi désavouer la portion du serment de citoyenneté concernant la royauté - et uniquement cette portion. I would like to affirm my true allegiance to Canada and the Canadian people, but also to disavow the portion of the citizenship oath concerning royalty - and only that portion.
Rippan Bhattacharjee	July 7, 2022 / September 8, 2022	Rippan: I disavow the part of the Canadian Oath of Citizenship that pertains to the "Royal" Family. Canada is a democratic country and there is no room for a racist and elitist institution such as the British monarchy. Especially when the ownership of this institution is passed on through blood-line inheritance. I cannot in good conscience swear my allegiance or any commitment towards a family that literally feeds off medieval traditions, expects submission from a people (us) who have nothing to do with them and pretends to be the rightful owners of this land where I live, play and work. This land does not belong to them, and they have zero ability to exercise any claim on it. Let the sun set for good on the empire! The fact that Canada has a monarchy belongs in a South Park episode. Not in the real-world.
Fang (Claire) Fu	2004 / September 9, 2022	Fang: Queen Elizabeth passed away yesterday. From that day on, Canadian citizenship has become 'be faithful and bear true allegiance to the King'. At the moment of watching the news I realized it's ridiculous to be faithful to someone I don't know. I don't think I'd be faithful to any specific person just because he or she is from royalty. I swore the oath back in 2004. I didn't mean to be faithful to the Royal. Now I'm glad to have this opportunity to diasawal. Thank you.
Rebekah Cunningham	June 2007 / September 9, 2022	Rebekah: As a dual citizen of two former British colonies, I disavow my oath to bear allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs, and successors. I do so in solidarity with all the peoples who have suffered under the British monarchy as an emblem of colonialism, cultural genocide, and inherited wealth. No nation is faultless, but I feel we can best pursue global equity and reconciliation with Canada's First Nations as free citizens without loyalty to a foreign royal family.
Anuroopa Seelamsetty	September 21, 2022 / same day	Anuroopa: I offer gratitude for being able to live, work and attend my Citizenship Oath Ceremony on the ancestral and unceded homelands of the hən̓ q ̓əmin̓ əm and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples. I publicly disavow the first part of my Citizenship Oath that states the following: 'I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors' I swear no faith or allegiance to any monarch or their heirs and successors. Instead, I affirm my solidarity with the Indigenous peoples across this land and hope that one day, Canada becomes a Republic.
Beatriz Castro-Leeman	November 23, 2021 / September 8, 2022	Beatriz: I wish to affirm my allegiance, my true allegiance to Canada and the people of Canada, especially First Nations, but renounce any, and all allegiance to Elizabeth 2, Charles 3 and all their heirs and successors. I will never embrace relics of colonialism, or a foreign monarch. I only swear allegiance, and bend my knee to Almighty God.
Henry Hobbs	August 24, 2020 / November 5, 2022	Henry: I formally disavow the first 25 words of my oath of citizenship that refer to the British monarchy.
Muhammad Naveed Yasin	November 21, 2022 / December 8, 2022	Muhammad: I'll be grateful if you can register my disavowal on your website.
Brian Burns	December 20, 2022 / same day	Brian: I believe the monarchy is an outdated system of government with connotations of colonization, oppression and exploitation. To me it represents everything Canada is not and I wish to formally disavow all allegiance to the king of England, his heirs and successors.
Jonah Ryan-Davis	June 15, 2023 / same day	Jonah: In accordance with my principles and conscience, I hereby recant the portion of my affirmed oath which reads "I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors..." I continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath which reads "...and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people's, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen." Read Jonah's full letter to The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
Keith Barry	October 24, 2022 / June 20, 2023	Keith: I disavow my oath of allegiance to the british monarchy. I reaffirm my oath to observe Canadian laws and to fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen. An unelected, hereditary head of state has no place in a modern democracy and free society.
Sriram Uma Chadalavada	August 9, 2023 / July 18, 2023	Sriram: I have become a citizen of Canada on July 18th, 2023. I have embraced my identity as a citizen, among equals, in a progressive, modern democracy. On reflection, I have also recognized that the portion of the citizenship oath I swore, which pledges allegiance to King Charles the Third, and his heirs and successors, is incompatible with the democratic and republican ideals I uphold. I was born in a republic (India) and educated in another (USA). It is my view that it is entirely inappropriate for Canada to require of its new citizenry, allegiance to a monarch or head of state not elected by its people. I see this state-sanctioned subjugation as detrimental to our national spirit and to the fulfillment of Canada's role, internationally, as an independent democracy. In accordance with my principles and conscience, I hereby recant that portion of my sworn oath which read "I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors..." I continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath, which read "...and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen." Read Sriram's full letter to The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
Hasnain Tabish	September 9, 2023 / same day	Hasnain: I had been eligible for citizenship for a few years but had been refraining from applying solely because of the allegedly symbolic yet mandated requirement of the utterance of the oath, certain verbiage of which is egregious to any person with conscience. I had been waiting and hoping that this requirement would be dropped after awareness and opposition to it had come to light in recent years, but that has not materialized so far. Since I had to apply due to personal reasons now and I am accountable to the God alone, I reasonably tried my best to inform of the disavowal since the beginning and sent letter of intent along with the application. Upon invitation to the ceremony, advance notice of disavowal was communicated, and during the ceremony itself had barely uttered the oath. Finally, the disavowal itself was submitted with additional copy to the governor general. I believe this oath is a gross infringement of my religious belief and rights. Hence, I categorically publicly disavow the oath. Read Hasnain's full letter to the officials at the oath ceremony.
Abhishek Sharma	September 18, 2023 / October 5, 2023	Abhishek: I became a citizen of Canada on September 18th, 2023. I have embraced my identity as a citizen, among equals, in a progressive, modern democracy. I was born and educated in a republic(India), and it is my view that it is entirely inappropriate for Canada to require of its new citizenry, allegiance to a monarch or head of state not elected by its people. I see this state-sanctioned subjugation as detrimental to our national spirit and to the fulfillment of Canada's role, internationally as an independent democracy. In accord with a ruling made by the Court of Appeal for Ontario concerning the Citizenship Oath (McAteer v. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76) that “the appellants have the opportunity to publicly disavow what they consider to be the message conveyed by the oath”* I hereby completely disavow that portion of my sworn oath which read I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors..." I continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath, which read ...and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen."
Tarun Gupta	October 16, 2023 / October 17, 2023	Tarun: I, Dr Tarun Gupta, hereby declare that I disavow the part of the oath of citizenship that required affirming allegiance to some old dude and his kids in England. All humans are created equal and I do not recognize the legitimacy or authority of the British monarchy over Canada or any other country. There are no kings or queens in this world, only humans. Monarchy, by definition, stands for birthright privilege, colonialism and genetic discrimination - attributes that stand in striking contrast to the ethos of a country that cherishes values like equality, equal opportunity, democracy and egalitarianism. It’s an archaic symbol of oppression, exploitation and injustice that has caused immense suffering and devastation to millions of people around the world, especially in India, my ancestral land. My ancestors were among the many victims of the British Empire, which plundered India's wealth, resources and culture for centuries, symbolized by many stolen diamonds like Kohinoor which still to this day and age remain a part of the “crown jewels” instead of being returned to it’s original owners. Nor have they returned the immense cultural wealth in the form of sacred sculptures and artifacts stolen from India, Egypt and various parts of Africa now housed in various British museums, depriving the descendants of creators of these artifacts of their own cultural heritage. My ancestors faced brutal repression, discrimination and violence at the hands of the British rulers and their agents under this “royal” family. They witnessed famines, massacres, wars and partitions that tore apart their communities and their homeland. By some accounts a total of 45 trillion dollars were plundered from India over the 200 years - which is more than 3 times the current GDP of Britain. I honour and respect the memory and legacy of my ancestors, who sacrificed their lives and dignity for the cause of freedom and justice. I cannot betray their history and their hopes by pledging allegiance to a foreign monarch who has no moral or legal claim to rule over them or me. I affirm that I am a proud Canadian citizen, who loves this country and its people. I am grateful for the opportunities that Canada has given me. I am committed to uphold the laws of Canada and fulfill my duties as a citizen. I respect the Canadian constitutional system and the values of democracy, human rights and multiculturalism that it embodies. I hope that one day, Canada will become a republic, where the head of state is elected by the people and accountable to them, not a hereditary monarch who lives in another continent and belongs to another era. Until then, I will exercise my right to publicly disavow what I consider to be an outdated and offensive part of the oath of citizenship.
Dimitri A. Pozios	October 23, 2023 / same day	Dimitri: I hereby disavow the initial portion of the Citizenship Oath. This portion entails my pledge of faithfulness and true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, the King of Canada, and his successors in perpetuity. I wholeheartedly renounce and object to this segment connected to the British monarchy, which I was legally obligated to take earlier today for Canadian citizenship. I deem it inappropriate, profoundly offensive, and a vestige of our colonial history. Earlier this year, prior to the coronation of King Charles III, the Archbishop of Canterbury in England emphasized on several occasions that the allegiance pledge to the monarch is an invitation, not a mandatory command. Even the very individual who conducted the coronation and crowned our symbolic King of Canada affirmed its optional nature. Read Dimitri's full letter to the Citizenship Judge Joan Mahoney and to The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
Muaz Ahmed	November 22, 2019 / November 5, 2023	Muaz: I, Muaz Ahmed, publicly disavow the oath of allegiance I made to the Queen and her heirs and successors. ... The oath suggests that in order to become a citizen of Canada, I have to swear allegiance to people with privilege who have earned and maintained that privilege by colonizing and exploiting nations all over the world. I ought to be treated with dignity and respect and not as a subject to a monarch. Furthermore, the notion of affirming allegiance to a monarch under a democratic form of government is a departure from modern democratic government norms of equality, fairness and inclusivity. ... My letter of disavowal which was sent to my MP and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, is here.
Aditya Bharadwaj	November 22, 2023 / same day	Aditya: I officially became a Canadian citizen on November 22, 2023, fully embracing my identity as part of a progressive, modern democracy where citizens stand as equals. Having been born and educated in India, with further studies and work experience in the United States, I hold the view that requiring allegiance to a non-elected British monarch or head of state is inappropriate for Canada. I believe this mandated allegiance contradicts our national spirit and hinders Canada's international role as an independent democracy, echoing the sentiments expressed in the Court of Appeal for Ontario's ruling (McAteer v. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76) that allows individuals to publicly disavow the message conveyed by the Citizenship Oath. Personally, I aspire to witness Canada severe ties with the British monarchy during my lifetime. I continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath, which reads "..and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen."
Ayub Hamid	1979 / December 20, 2023	Ayub: I disavow my oath of allegiance to the British monarchy. I reaffirm my oath to faithfully observe the laws of Canada and to fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.
Ezm Masoud	March 19, 2024 / same day	Ezm: I, Ezm Masoud on this day hereby renounce and rescind the section of the Citizenship Oath relating to the monarchy that I was, by law, obliged to take earlier today in order to become a Canadian citizen. I understand that, in the Supreme Court's interpretation, allegiance to the monarch is largely symbolic and should be taken as a commitment to Canada's form of government. However, in its current formulation, the oath generates ambiguity with this implicit claim, and departs from modern democratic government norms of equality, fairness and inclusiveness with which many new Canadians associate their adoptive country. Furthermore, an oath of allegiance to a person and their heirs is directly at odds with my religious beliefs; I recognize the supremacy of God and God alone. I hereby reaffirm the second part of the Oath of citizenship that I have taken earlier today; To faithfully observe the laws of Canada including the Constitution which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.

Citizen

Oath date / Disavowal date

Notes

Ashok Charles

1997 / May 20, 2004

Ashok is the Executive Director of Republic Now. He was the first to disavow the oath, writing to The Honourable Ms. Judy Sgro, then the minister of citizenship and immigration: "It is my view that it is entirely inappropriate for Canada to require of its citizenry, allegiance to a monarch. I see this state-sanctioned subjugation as detrimental to our national spirit and to the fulfillment of Canada's role, internationally, as an independent democracy". His disavowal letter, and the government's response, are here.

Peter Rosenthal

Circa 1990 / November 14, 2015

Peter was the primary counsel to the applicants in McAteer v. Canada. His formal disavowal letter is here (pdf, unsigned) and here (jpg, signed). He writes: "In case my silence was or is interpreted as acquiescence, I hereby disavow any implication that I ever affirmed any allegiance to any monarch."

Dror Bar-Natan ✉

November 30, 2015 / same day

Dror is the curator of this web site and was one of the applicants in McAteer v. Canada. "I sent an intent/explanation letter to the citizenship judge and two government ministers before taking the oath. At the very end of the citizenship ceremony I said to the citizenship judge: I affirm my allegiance, my true allegiance, to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. I then handed him a written disavowal letter. A more complete description of my relationship with the oath is here."

Masrour Zoghi

2001 / November 29, 2015

Masrour: "As someone put it recently, because it's 2015."

Josh Smithson

May 16, 2014 / November 29, 2015

Josh: I became a Citizen on May 16th 2014 and was not looking forward to "pledging allegiance" to some woman who was born to privilege.

Karolina Sygula

November 20, 1985 / November 29, 2015

Karolina: Monarchies are anachronistic abominations; addressing other human beings as "Your Majesty" or "Your Royal Highness" is utterly absurd. I am no one's subject.

Ali Paknia

2011 / November 29, 2015

Ali: "I cannot be faithful to a person since I'm a free human being".

Jonathan Korman

Early 90s / November 30, 2015

Jonathan: "I agree with all you said in your letter about Monarchy being a symbol of privilege".

Suraia Sahar

1993 (by a parent) / November 30, 2015

Suraia: "I pledge my solidarity with the Indigenous people of this land".

Adrian Harper

November 21, 1975 / November 30, 2015

Adrian: "at last!", "I was surprised and disappointed to discover that in order to gain my Canadian citizenship, I had to swear an oath, partly, to the queen I thought I'd left behind."

Terence Stone

February 11, 2015 / November 30, 2015

Terence: "Since February 11, I have carried the terrible feeling that I compromised my integrity; and so now I'm repairing that harm to myself by disavowing my pledge of allegiance to the Queen and body Royal in perpetuity."

Vincent Delogne

2001 / November 30, 2015

Vincent: "I am proud to be a Canadian citizen but have no feeling of allegiance to the British crown. In fact, I think royalty is an antiquated tradition that has no place in 2015 anywhere in the world, especially not in a modern, dynamic and equalitarian country like Canada."

Songhao Li

August 21, 2012 / December 1, 2015

Songhao: "I look forward to the day that Canada becomes a republic."

Maria Marquez

1998 / December 1, 2015

Maria: I took the Oath in 1998 which today December 1st, I disavow. Instead I take this new oath created in 1991 as requested by Citizenship and Immigration Canada "I am a citizen of Canada and I make this commitment: to uphold our laws and freedoms, to respect our people in their diversity, to work for our common well-being and to safeguard and honour this ancient Northern land." I love this country!!!!!

Seyed N. Mousavian

March 2012 / December 1, 2015

Seyed: "I hereby disavow any implication that I ever affirmed any allegiance to any monarch."

Harvey Nagelberg

April 14, 2003 / December 1, 2015

No comments.

Steven: Bydeley

December 12, 1961 (by a parent) / December 1, 2015 and April 1, 2016

Steven: I disavow that I will be "faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors." I pledge instead to stand, as equals, with the people on this geographical land mass known as Canada and the rule of Law, "To live honourably; to hurt nobody; to render to everyone his due."

Gerard Muir

June 15, 1983 / December 1, 2015

Gerard: I became a Canadian Citizen June 15, 1983, and consider Canada my home. On December 1, 2015, I disavow the section of the Citizenship oath that pledges allegiance to the British Crown in perpetuity. The British Crown and what is represented by it are incompatible with my values.

Nicolas Le Gall

September 1, 2010 / December 1, 2015

My name is Nicolas, originally from France. I have been living in Canada (Montréal) for 10 years and took the oath of Canadian citizenship on September 1st, 2010. I must admit that I have always been sort of ashamed for pledging allegiance to the Queen of England. I would like to bring you my support and thank you for your initiative. Please register my disavowal on your website.

The part of the oath about the Queen has always bothered me for several reasons:
- I feel no allegiance whatsoever to the Queen of ENGLAND.
- Monarchy in general is preposterous, an antiquated sign of the people's submission to a chosen few on dubious grounds.
- Why must we new Canadian citizens take the oath while people who were born Canadians do not have to? Though we had a choice, it seems like a double standard to me.
- Other countries like New Zealand and Australia have removed from their oath the part about the Queen.
- Although I fully understand that it comes with the territory (so to speak), I moved to Québec more than I moved to Canada (which I have nothing against - it's just a vastly different culture). The Queen is even less relevant here, and the most convenient way for me to stay here was to become a Canadian citizen.

Keep up the good work and please don't let a few haters deter you from continuing your fight.

Georgi Krumov

October 2010 / December 1, 2015

Georgi: I disavow the section of the Citizenship oath that pledges allegiance to the British Crown in perpetuity. I hereby disavow any implication that I ever affirmed any allegiance to any monarch.

Valleri Blake

1975 / December 2, 2015

Valleri: As an immigrant from a former British colony, I was particularly unhappy about the oath which I took in 1975 to become a citizen of this amazing country.
I would like to finally register my disavowal of that oath and proudly substitute a slightly revised Australian version.

"From this time forward, under God, I pledge my loyalty to Canada and its people, whose democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey,"

Patricia Warwick

March 8, 1973 / December 2, 2015

Patricia: Here is what I would prefer to have vowed "I affirm that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen." Before coming to Canada I was a British subject, and I was not required to take the oath back there - and I wouldn't have, even there.

Patrice Obertelli

2005 / December 3, 2015

Patrice: Promettre sa fidélité et allégeance à la reine d’Angleterre est politiquement absurde, anachronique et raciste : La reine n’a aucun vrai pouvoir ici et personne ne devrait avoir un privilège dû purement au fait qu’il est sorti d’un ventre plutôt que d’un autre. Le pouvoir héréditaire est un d’autre temps.

Sheila McCrindle

1983 / December 3, 2015

Sheila: I Sheila McCrindle, took the oath of Citizenship in 1983. I did not like swearing allegiance to a monarch then, so I am thankful for the opportunity to disavow the part of the oath in which I said I would swear allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors. I will however continue to be faithful to the laws of Canada and fulfill my role as a Canadian citizen.

Monarchy is such a ridiculous medieval concept. And it’s 2015.

Sujeewa Kumaratunga

December 2, 2015 / December 4, 2015

Sujeewa: As it is not in accordance with my democratic principles, I hereby disavow any allegiance to the monarch that might have been implied in the portion of the oath of citizenship, taken on December 2nd, 2015, in Montreal, QC that reads: "I affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors".

This is in accordance with the advice of Weiler, Lauwers and Pardu JJ.A., in their ruling on McAteer v. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76: "... the appellants have the opportunity to publicly disavow what they consider to be the message conveyed by the oath. ...".

Nassim Noroozi

November 21, 2014 / December 5, 2015

Nassim: I took the pledge of allegiance to the Royal family while I was literally shivering: how can one pledge allegiance to a royal family who has inherited a legacy of colonialism and genocide of indigenous peoples of the americas, the peoples whose lands we are standing on while taking the oath?

I believe that fighting for a more ethical and just world is in contradiction with taking this oath. As someone else said, I am hoping to repair my compromised integrity by this disavowal. I wish to publicly disavow my oath and reaffirm my commitment to being a good citizen and an ally to the indigenous people of the Americas - specifically the people of the Haudenosaunee territories.

Asif Rahman

1999 / December 12, 2015

Asif: Effective immediately please register my disavowal to the British monarchy and I reaffirm that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen.

I became a Canadian citizen in 1999. I wish I knew then what I know now. I let myself down the day I declared my allegiance to a monarchy who's foreign policy was to invade foreign lands and subjugate its inhabitants.

I have relieved myself from a heavy burden today.

Jake Javanshir ✉

1973 / December 21, 2015

Jake: I came to Canada on August, 1970 and disavow on December, 21, 2015.
I resented the part of the oath in regard to a few privileged people in England in 1970 but could not do anything about it, and resent it up to this day.
My solidarity is to Canada and humanity which is based on justice and decency and being a good citizen of the world, not to an antiquated system of "Royals and Royalties, kings, queens, princesses and on..." which should have been done away with, long long ago. This was a form of abuse of the masses then and still is in one way or another.
No, no allegiance to any family in a country which I have nothing to do with.

Bernie Roycroft

1994 / January 5, 2016

Bernie: I came to Canada from the Republic of Ireland in 1990, became a citizen in 1994, and took the Citizenship Oath feeling like a small child with fingers crossed behind my back. It has nagged my conscience ever since, and thank you for bringing the issue to the fore, and allowing people like me to clear the air. The monarchy, in my view, is a relic of times gone by, and should have no place in today's Canada.

Kerstin Jarecki-Khan

April 2006 / January 14, 2016

Kerstin: I disavow any implied allegiance to Royalty, yet uphold the principles of democracy, freedom and compassion as a Canadian citizen.

Eric Dumonteil

February 19, 2016 / same day

French, English, then Doc.

French: "J’ai décidé de désavouer la partie du serment de citoyenneté concernant la monarchie car il est assez difficile pour moi d’assumer consciemment de jurer d’être fidèle et de porter sincère allégeance à quelqu’un qui a hérité de ses privilèges, et qui n’a à prouver d’autre mérite que le fait d’être né “enfant de”. A fortiori, comment pourrais-je rationnellement jurer la même chose à ses héritiers et successeurs? Signer un chèque en blanc à des personnes qui n'existent pas? Pas moi. Il semblerait que nous vivions dans un pays libre, les gens qui le veulent sont libres de le faire. Cette partie monarchiste du serment ne devrait pas exister, selon moi."

English: "I have decided to disavow because it is pretty hard for me to assume consciously to swear to be faithful and to bear true allegiance to someone which has inherited of her privileges, and without having to prove any other merit than the fact to be the "child of". A fortiori, how could I rationally swear the same thing to her heirs and successors? Signing a blank check to some people that don’t exist yet? Not for me. It seems that we are living in a free country, people who want to do that are free to do it. This monarchy part of the oath doesn’t have to exist, according me."

Doc: LetterToJudge.pdf

Ezra de Leon

2002 / February 28, 2016

Ezra: When I swore my citizenship oath in 2002 I thought of the oath to the Queen as a pointless formality. However, upon reflection since then I realized that it is undemocratic to force a new Canadian to swear allegiance to an unelected and unaccountable hereditary ruler who doesn't even reside in Canada. Monarchy is an outdated and unnecessary system and the fact that many Canadians still feel beholden to the English royal family is an embarrassment. Canada is a modern country that deserves to stand on its own and does not need to harbour such provincial attitudes. The oath to the Queen must be removed and Canada must become a republic.

Vahid R. Afshar

April 2, 2014 / February 29, 2016

Vahid: Folks, by taking a look into history, being loyal to the royal family of England (United Kingdom of Great Britain), which has inherited a legacy of colonialism of indigenous peoples of the americas and those people whose lands we are standing on, while taking the oath in the twenty-first century, is morally not right. For this reason I disavow that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty. Instead, I affirm my allegiance to Canada and to the people of Canada.

Chi Shun Hui

1987 / March 9, 2016

Chi Shun: To right the wrong of the past, I wish to have an aboriginal person as a first elected president in Canada.

Read Chi Shun's full letter to the Honourable John McCallum, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Lorraine Harrilal

March 14, 2016 / same day

Lorraine's disavowal letter is titled "Love for Canada: Repudiation of Monarchy".

Click on it for the full size version.

Bill Bedford

January, 2016 / March 31, 2016

Bill: I became a Canadian citizen in Jan 2016 and I'd like to join your list. I am a Brit by birth and believe both countries would be much better of ditching this anachronistic institution.

Graham Morton

? / March 31, 2016

Graham: I made the oath at my citizenship swearing-in at the age of 16 along with my family. I was shocked and angered at the time but didn't want to embarass my parents. As an anti-monarchist I was surprised that the oath was included, but the anger came from the fact that in such a modern country, a reasonable person would be coerced into supporting an outdated and irrelevent concept in order to participate fully in society. It is a sneaky and dishonest way to distort the level of support for a an institution that represents the predatory and obsolete traditions people came to Canada to escape.

Marcia Sarjudeen

November 11, 2014 / April 14, 2016

Marcia: I did not wish to pledge my allegiance to any individual. I felt uncomfortable doing it because it went against my principles. The United States gives the citizenship candidate an opportunity to waive parts of the oath (see here). This should also be the case in a forward thinking country like Canada which considers itself to be a tolerant soceity. I therefore through this website publicly disavow on this day April 14th 2016, the oath I made to the Queen and her successors on the day of my citizenship November 11th 2014.

Srabon Salim

April 29, 2016 / same day

The Prince George Citizen: New citizen takes stand against swearing allegiance to the Queen.

Gwyn Campbell

November 4, 2016 / same day

Gwyn: I salute the commitment to multiculturalism, defined in “Discover Canada” as a “fundamental characteristic of the Canadian heritage and identity.” However, as a Welsh-speaking Welshman, French-speaking resident of Québec, and Canada Research Chair in Indian Ocean World History at McGill University, I am acutely conscious that for many in this plural society the Crown represents a deeply divisive history of English colonialism and imperial exploitation.

Read Gwyn Campbell's full disavowal letter.

Khushwant Singh Aulakh

2006 / November 8, 2016

Khushwant: I took my citizenship oath in 2006 and I was gritting my teeth when I had to owe allegiance to the Monarchy. Now I have an opportunity to make the right choice.

I, KHUSHWANT SINGH AULAKH, publicly disavow the allegiance I swore to Queen Elizabeth II and her successors.

Robert L. Jerrard

January 19, 2017 / same day

Robert: As a new Canadian citizen, I support abolishing the monarchy and replacing it by a political system with an elected head of state.

Giuseppe Bentivegna

1960s / February 6, 2017

Giuseppe: I also have felt uncomfortable and humiliated for many years about having taken the Oath and pledging allegiance to the queen. I am a proud Canadian and a law-abiding citizen and I rather pay allegiance to Native Americans or historical Canadian figures. The queen is only symbolic and powerless and abstract; she is non-existent for me. Besides, she is a foreigner whereas I'm a Canadian and I count more than her in this beautiful and fantastic country.

Azfar Zaheer

March 9, 2017 / same day

Azfar: I am not going to swear allegiance to anyone with privilege and who have earned and maintained that privilege by colonizing and exploiting nations all over the world. I should be treated with dignity and respect and not as a subject to a monarch.

Read Azfar Zaheer's full disavowal letter.

Rozmin Parpia

May 15, 2015 / April 7, 2017

Rozmin: I'm originally from India and as a child I read in my History text books the atrocities of British rule in India. I remember feeling so conflicted during the pledging allegiance to the queen part of the oath ceremony. I strongly believe people should be permitted to opt out of it. It shouldn't be a mandatory requirement for citizenship.

Khalid Qureshi

2005 / same time and May 21, 2017

Khalid: I affirm my allegiance to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. I cannot bear allegiance to any person especially with that families colonial past.

Sabbiha Mamoona

2009 / same time and May 21, 2017

Sabbiha: I affirm my allegiance to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. I cannot bear allegiance to British Royals.

Iram Irfan

October 20, 2017 / same day

Anshul Agrawal

January 8, 2018 / January 10, 2018

Anshul: I affirm my allegiance, my true allegiance, to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. As a Canadian and a native of a former British Colony, I do not feel right about swearing allegiance to the British Crown, which is responsible for the genocide of indigenous people in Canada and the people of pre-independent India.

Florin Salajan

April 24, 2007 / April 24, 2018

Florin: I understand that, in the Supreme Court's interpretation, allegiance to the monarch is largely symbolic and should be taken as a commitment to Canada's form of government. However, in its current formulation, the oath generates ambiguity with this implicit claim, since the perceived image of the monarch as a representation of the state cannot exist in the absence of a physical representation of the monarch. No less problematic in this dualistic image is the inherent imposition of an unequal hierarchical power relation between the monarch and her/his subject(s), which departs from modern democratic government norms of equality, fairness and inclusiveness with which many new Canadians associate their adoptive country.

Read Florin Salajan's full disavowal letter to the Prime Minister of Canada and the response from the Prime Minister's office.

Ann Magner

May 2003 / July 2018

Ann: We are all human beings, our allegiance must be to our fellow human beings, our Mother Earth and all living things. I hereby disavow allegiance to the queen, her heirs and successors, and I affirm that I am a citizen of Canada, and I make this commitment: to uphold our laws and freedoms; to respect our people in their diversity; to work for our common well-being; and to safeguard and honour this ancient northern land.

Read the exchange between Ann Magner and Neil R. Ellis, M.P., Bay of Quinte.

Mohammadhadi Baligh

December 7, 2007 / August 24, 2018

Kianoosh Mokhtarian

July 17, 2018 / September 11, 2018

Kianoosh: I took the pledge of allegiance to the monarchy at the citizenship ceremony solely out of necessity and with much discomfort, and would like to take it back now. Monarchy has no place in a 21st century democracy, let alone that the British Monarchy is more of a symbol of colonialism and genocide than of the Canadian pride.

Joseph G. Howard

May 13, 2019 / same day

Joseph: Whereas inherited privilege is repugnant to the values of democracy and equality before the law;

Whereas the English Crown is a symbol of colonial and religious oppression and persecution around the world, and;

Whereas the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of conscience and freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression;

In accord with a ruling made by the Court of Appeal for Ontario concerning the Citizenship Oath (McAteer v. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76) that

"the appellants have the opportunity to publicly disavow what they consider to be the message conveyed by the oath"

I hereby renounce and rescind the section of the Citizenship Oath relating to the monarchy that I was, by law, obliged to take earlier today in order to become a Canadian citizen.

Read Joseph's full letter to the presiding offcier at their citizenship ceremony.

Erin Wright

September 5, 2017 / July 1, 2019

Erin: I disavow that I will "be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, her Heirs and Successors." The monarchy is deeply anti-democratic and anti-egalitarian, and it represents the colonial past. I do not support it.

Constantina Stancovici

1989 / October 23, 2019

Constantina: I Constantina Stancovici Canadian citizen disavow the pledge of allegiance to the British monarchy. I am not the servant or the subject of anybody. I am a free woman. the british monarchy does not have any servants in Canada. It is a free people.

Levon Amatuni

January 15, 2020 / February 10, 2020

Levon: Here,

I affirm my allegiance to Canada and to the people of Canada, yet I wish to disavow the royalty part, and only the royalty part, of the citizenship oath. I would like to avoid bearing thoughtless allegiance to any person or a family as the history of humanity has clearly shown that such cults of personality frequently bring disastrous outcomes to societies practicing such. Any blind allegiance, in my view, independent to the kindness of the subject, does not align with the fundamental Canadian principles of equality and democracy.

Sayyed Mehdi

October 1, 2020 / same day

Sayyed: In accordance with the ruling of the Court of Appeal for Ontario (McAteer vs. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76), "...appellants have the opportunity to publicly disavow what they consider to be the message conveyed by the oath...."

I hereby completely disavow the first 25 words of the Citizenship oath. I regard that as an unnecessary oath of allegiance to a hereditary oligarchy. I wholeheartedly embrace the last 16 words of the oath which are "... I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen".

Cian McCabe

October 28, 2020 / same day

Cian: I am 20 years old and this morning, the morning of the 28th of October 2020 I took my oath of citizenship. Whilst I am from England originally, my parents instilled a healthy distaste for hereditary rule in me from a young age.

I understand the necessity for a healthy democratic society to up hold the responsibilities of citizenship and my obligation to the people of this, or any land I dwell in, is clear.

My distaste, has however in my own dabbling in political thought become a moral disdain. I would like therefor, to add my Disavowel of the first half of the oath to this website so it may be preserved for posterity.

Pinaki Mondal

2011 / June 1, 2021

Pinaki: The Flying Spaghetti Monster is more worthy of my pledge of allegiance than the queen and her heirs and successors.

Sayyed Raza

2016 / February 15, 2016

Sayyed: No human is superior to others by virtue of their birth. I hereby completely disavow the first 25 words of the Citizenship oath.

Lincoln Stoller

November 2021 / December 2021

Lincoln: I, Lincoln Stoller, a Canadian Citizen do disavowal my declarations of allegiance to the Crown, the Queen of England, and to all other monarchs, royalty, and independent agents who would interfere with the rights and obligations of Canadian citizenship.

Andrew Bennett

January 19, 2022 / same day

Andrew: I sent a letter of disavowal regarding the Oath of Allegiance within minutes of my virtual ceremony. Gaining citizenship online thwarted my handing over a letter in person to the presiding officer or clerk, but I have achieved the point of principle nonetheless and registered my unhappiness about being obliged to take the Oath.

Hao Ming Lu

December 2006 / April 15, 2022

Hao Ming: I, Hao Ming Lu, publicly disavow that I will "be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors".

Austin William Blanchett

May 6, 2022 / same day

Austin: The oath suggests that in order to become a citizen of Canada, I have to swear allegiance to Britain’s dictators and their family who is known as Queen of foreign country called England, who have earned and maintained gains throughout her colonies by colonizing, murdering, torturing and looting nations all over the world. Therefore, I disavow the first part of my oath but but I will continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath.

Read Austin William Blanchett's full disavowal letter.

Xiaotong Zhang

July 27, 2021 / June 1, 2022

Xiaotong: Canada is no longer a colony of Great Britain anymore. It’s like a marriage, I marry to Canada, I plead my loyalty to Canada. I’m not marrying to Great Britain, and Canada is an independent country now. As discovery Canada says, queen is a symbolism for monarchy, and personalization about Monarchy.

Sunil Vasudevan

June 14, 2022 / same day

Sunil: Thanks to the Disavowal team for making this a possibility.
I was eligible to become a Canadian Citizen a few years back but was hesitant to apply for citizenship because of the "oath" .
I was renewing my PR until I came across this website.
The fight is not over yet still many will be like me hesitant to become a citizen because of the oath.
The Next step is to remove the first part of the oath, "if Australia could do it why Canada cannot?"
Together we can make this possible for the future citizens.

Read Sunil Vasudevan's full disavowal letter.

Sridevi Baskar

June 14, 2022 / same day

Sridevi: Thanks Disavowal team to guide us with this process. We received an acknowledgement stating "they have noted our concerns" bit really want them to change the oath. This is stopping many eligible residents from taking the citizenship. Hope soon the oath would change.

Qasim Afridi

August 4, 2022 / same day

Qasim: Today I experienced firsthand how Canada engages in blatant violation of Human Rights and how Canada forces and subjugates immigrants who become citizens to recite allegiance to the British Monarch and her extended family. The Royal Family is a morally sick and bankrupt institution and historically nothing more than brutal colonizers. As having connections to both the Indian subcontinent and Ireland, I feel every fibre of my body shaking for being forced to take this oath of allegiance to the Queen of England. Britain oppressed India and Ireland for centuries, created famines that killed and displaced millions, tied people to cannons and blew them to bits, and forced Indians to grow poppy instead of food crops so they could sell opium like a vicious drug cartel to the Chinese people and keep them addicted to narcotics for their own greed and profits and when China tried to stop this drug business of Britain to protect their people, they even went to war against China!

The United Kingdom headed by the Monarchy destroyed every single country it ruled by propping up a puppet ruler class who to this day cares more about their personal bank accounts than the welfare of their people. Is this what we are supposed to pledge allegiance to for becoming Canadian citizens? Shame on this system of evil oppression.

I and my family thus disavow the part of the oath that pledges allegiance to the Queen.

I love Canada and the Canadian people but allegiance to the British Monarchy has no place in an enlightened and multicultural country such as ours.

For people who think this oath is just symbolic and does not mean anything literally, I ask them why don't you get rid of this insanity altogether then?

We stand in solidarity with the real owners of this land the indigenous people, who to this date cannot get fresh clean water at their reservations in this country of a million freshwater lakes and whose children were brutally murdered in cold blood under British Colonialism.

For those who have been brainwashed at school about British Colonialism please watch this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7CW7S0zxv4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SEPPnd3380
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpMAy6pfHbM

"The Almighty, indeed, sent the potato blight, but the English created the famine"

"Be advised my passport's Green No Glass of ours was ever raised to toast the Queen"

Annabelle Paré

September 1, 2022 / same day

Annabelle: Je souhaite affirmer ma véritable allégeance au Canada et au peuple canadien, mais aussi désavouer la portion du serment de citoyenneté concernant la royauté - et uniquement cette portion.

I would like to affirm my true allegiance to Canada and the Canadian people, but also to disavow the portion of the citizenship oath concerning royalty - and only that portion.

Rippan Bhattacharjee

July 7, 2022 / September 8, 2022

Rippan: I disavow the part of the Canadian Oath of Citizenship that pertains to the "Royal" Family. Canada is a democratic country and there is no room for a racist and elitist institution such as the British monarchy. Especially when the ownership of this institution is passed on through blood-line inheritance. I cannot in good conscience swear my allegiance or any commitment towards a family that literally feeds off medieval traditions, expects submission from a people (us) who have nothing to do with them and pretends to be the rightful owners of this land where I live, play and work. This land does not belong to them, and they have zero ability to exercise any claim on it. Let the sun set for good on the empire!

The fact that Canada has a monarchy belongs in a South Park episode. Not in the real-world.

Fang (Claire) Fu

2004 / September 9, 2022

Fang: Queen Elizabeth passed away yesterday. From that day on, Canadian citizenship has become 'be faithful and bear true allegiance to the King'. At the moment of watching the news I realized it's ridiculous to be faithful to someone I don't know. I don't think I'd be faithful to any specific person just because he or she is from royalty. I swore the oath back in 2004. I didn't mean to be faithful to the Royal. Now I'm glad to have this opportunity to diasawal. Thank you.

Rebekah Cunningham

June 2007 / September 9, 2022

Rebekah: As a dual citizen of two former British colonies, I disavow my oath to bear allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs, and successors. I do so in solidarity with all the peoples who have suffered under the British monarchy as an emblem of colonialism, cultural genocide, and inherited wealth. No nation is faultless, but I feel we can best pursue global equity and reconciliation with Canada's First Nations as free citizens without loyalty to a foreign royal family.

Anuroopa Seelamsetty

September 21, 2022 / same day

Anuroopa: I offer gratitude for being able to live, work and attend my Citizenship Oath Ceremony on the ancestral and unceded homelands of the hən̓ q ̓əmin̓ əm and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples.

I publicly disavow the first part of my Citizenship Oath that states the following:

'I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors'

I swear no faith or allegiance to any monarch or their heirs and successors. Instead, I affirm my solidarity with the Indigenous peoples across this land and hope that one day, Canada becomes a Republic.

Beatriz Castro-Leeman

November 23, 2021 / September 8, 2022

Beatriz: I wish to affirm my allegiance, my true allegiance to Canada and the people of Canada, especially First Nations, but renounce any, and all allegiance to Elizabeth 2, Charles 3 and all their heirs and successors. I will never embrace relics of colonialism, or a foreign monarch. I only swear allegiance, and bend my knee to Almighty God.

Henry Hobbs

August 24, 2020 / November 5, 2022

Henry: I formally disavow the first 25 words of my oath of citizenship that refer to the British monarchy.

Muhammad Naveed Yasin

November 21, 2022 / December 8, 2022

Muhammad: I'll be grateful if you can register my disavowal on your website.

Brian Burns

December 20, 2022 / same day

Brian: I believe the monarchy is an outdated system of government with connotations of colonization, oppression and exploitation. To me it represents everything Canada is not and I wish to formally disavow all allegiance to the king of England, his heirs and successors.

Jonah Ryan-Davis

June 15, 2023 / same day

Jonah: In accordance with my principles and conscience, I hereby recant the portion of my affirmed oath which reads "I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors..." I continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath which reads "...and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people's, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen."

Read Jonah's full letter to The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Keith Barry

October 24, 2022 / June 20, 2023

Keith: I disavow my oath of allegiance to the british monarchy.

I reaffirm my oath to observe Canadian laws and to fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.

An unelected, hereditary head of state has no place in a modern democracy and free society.

Sriram Uma Chadalavada

August 9, 2023 / July 18, 2023

Sriram: I have become a citizen of Canada on July 18th, 2023. I have embraced my identity as a citizen, among equals, in a progressive, modern democracy.

On reflection, I have also recognized that the portion of the citizenship oath I swore, which pledges allegiance to King Charles the Third, and his heirs and successors, is incompatible with the democratic and republican ideals I uphold. I was born in a republic (India) and educated in another (USA). It is my view that it is entirely inappropriate for Canada to require of its new citizenry, allegiance to a monarch or head of state not elected by its people. I see this state-sanctioned subjugation as detrimental to our national spirit and to the fulfillment of Canada's role, internationally, as an independent democracy.

In accordance with my principles and conscience, I hereby recant that portion of my sworn oath which read "I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors..." I continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath, which read "...and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen."

Read Sriram's full letter to The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Hasnain Tabish

September 9, 2023 / same day

Hasnain: I had been eligible for citizenship for a few years but had been refraining from applying solely because of the allegedly symbolic yet mandated requirement of the utterance of the oath, certain verbiage of which is egregious to any person with conscience.

I had been waiting and hoping that this requirement would be dropped after awareness and opposition to it had come to light in recent years, but that has not materialized so far. Since I had to apply due to personal reasons now and I am accountable to the God alone, I reasonably tried my best to inform of the disavowal since the beginning and sent letter of intent along with the application. Upon invitation to the ceremony, advance notice of disavowal was communicated, and during the ceremony itself had barely uttered the oath. Finally, the disavowal itself was submitted with additional copy to the governor general.

I believe this oath is a gross infringement of my religious belief and rights.

Hence, I categorically publicly disavow the oath.

Read Hasnain's full letter to the officials at the oath ceremony.

Abhishek Sharma

September 18, 2023 / October 5, 2023

Abhishek: I became a citizen of Canada on September 18th, 2023. I have embraced my identity as a citizen, among equals, in a progressive, modern democracy.

I was born and educated in a republic(India), and it is my view that it is entirely inappropriate for Canada to require of its new citizenry, allegiance to a monarch or head of state not elected by its people. I see this state-sanctioned subjugation as detrimental to our national spirit and to the fulfillment of Canada's role, internationally as an independent democracy.

In accord with a ruling made by the Court of Appeal for Ontario concerning the Citizenship Oath (McAteer v. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76) that “the appellants have the opportunity to publicly disavow what they consider to be the message conveyed by the oath”*

I hereby completely disavow that portion of my sworn oath which read I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors..." I continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath, which read ...and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen."

Tarun Gupta

October 16, 2023 / October 17, 2023

Tarun: I, Dr Tarun Gupta, hereby declare that I disavow the part of the oath of citizenship that required affirming allegiance to some old dude and his kids in England.

All humans are created equal and I do not recognize the legitimacy or authority of the British monarchy over Canada or any other country. There are no kings or queens in this world, only humans.

Monarchy, by definition, stands for birthright privilege, colonialism and genetic discrimination - attributes that stand in striking contrast to the ethos of a country that cherishes values like equality, equal opportunity, democracy and egalitarianism. It’s an archaic symbol of oppression, exploitation and injustice that has caused immense suffering and devastation to millions of people around the world, especially in India, my ancestral land.

My ancestors were among the many victims of the British Empire, which plundered India's wealth, resources and culture for centuries, symbolized by many stolen diamonds like Kohinoor which still to this day and age remain a part of the “crown jewels” instead of being returned to it’s original owners. Nor have they returned the immense cultural wealth in the form of sacred sculptures and artifacts stolen from India, Egypt and various parts of Africa now housed in various British museums, depriving the descendants of creators of these artifacts of their own cultural heritage. My ancestors faced brutal repression, discrimination and violence at the hands of the British rulers and their agents under this “royal” family. They witnessed famines, massacres, wars and partitions that tore apart their communities and their homeland. By some accounts a total of 45 trillion dollars were plundered from India over the 200 years - which is more than 3 times the current GDP of Britain. I honour and respect the memory and legacy of my ancestors, who sacrificed their lives and dignity for the cause of freedom and justice. I cannot betray their history and their hopes by pledging allegiance to a foreign monarch who has no moral or legal claim to rule over them or me.

I affirm that I am a proud Canadian citizen, who loves this country and its people. I am grateful for the opportunities that Canada has given me. I am committed to uphold the laws of Canada and fulfill my duties as a citizen. I respect the Canadian constitutional system and the values of democracy, human rights and multiculturalism that it embodies. I hope that one day, Canada will become a republic, where the head of state is elected by the people and accountable to them, not a hereditary monarch who lives in another continent and belongs to another era. Until then, I will exercise my right to publicly disavow what I consider to be an outdated and offensive part of the oath of citizenship.

Dimitri A. Pozios

October 23, 2023 / same day

Dimitri: I hereby disavow the initial portion of the Citizenship Oath. This portion entails my pledge of faithfulness and true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, the King of Canada, and his successors in perpetuity.
I wholeheartedly renounce and object to this segment connected to the British monarchy, which I was legally obligated to take earlier today for Canadian citizenship. I deem it inappropriate, profoundly offensive, and a vestige of our colonial history.

Earlier this year, prior to the coronation of King Charles III, the Archbishop of Canterbury in England emphasized on several occasions that the allegiance pledge to the monarch is an invitation, not a mandatory command. Even the very individual who conducted the coronation and crowned our symbolic King of Canada affirmed its optional nature.

Read Dimitri's full letter to the Citizenship Judge Joan Mahoney and to The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Muaz Ahmed

November 22, 2019 / November 5, 2023

Muaz: I, Muaz Ahmed, publicly disavow the oath of allegiance I made to the Queen and her heirs and successors.

... The oath suggests that in order to become a citizen of Canada, I have to swear allegiance to people with privilege who have earned and maintained that privilege by colonizing and exploiting nations all over the world. I ought to be treated with dignity and respect and not as a subject to a monarch. Furthermore, the notion of affirming allegiance to a monarch under a democratic form of government is a departure from modern democratic government norms of equality, fairness and inclusivity. ...

My letter of disavowal which was sent to my MP and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, is here.

Aditya Bharadwaj

November 22, 2023 / same day

Aditya: I officially became a Canadian citizen on November 22, 2023, fully embracing my identity as part of a progressive, modern democracy where citizens stand as equals. Having been born and educated in India, with further studies and work experience in the United States, I hold the view that requiring allegiance to a non-elected British monarch or head of state is inappropriate for Canada. I believe this mandated allegiance contradicts our national spirit and hinders Canada's international role as an independent democracy, echoing the sentiments expressed in the Court of Appeal for Ontario's ruling (McAteer v. Canada, 2014 ONCA 578, paragraph 76) that allows individuals to publicly disavow the message conveyed by the Citizenship Oath. Personally, I aspire to witness Canada severe ties with the British monarchy during my lifetime.

I continue to wholeheartedly respect the remainder of the oath, which reads "..and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen."

Ayub Hamid

1979 / December 20, 2023

Ayub: I disavow my oath of allegiance to the British monarchy. I reaffirm my oath to faithfully observe the laws of Canada and to fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.

Ezm Masoud

March 19, 2024 / same day

Ezm: I, Ezm Masoud on this day hereby renounce and rescind the section of the Citizenship Oath relating to the monarchy that I was, by law, obliged to take earlier today in order to become a Canadian citizen.

I understand that, in the Supreme Court's interpretation, allegiance to the monarch is largely symbolic and should be taken as a commitment to Canada's form of government. However, in its current formulation, the oath generates ambiguity with this implicit claim, and departs from modern democratic government norms of equality, fairness and inclusiveness with which many new Canadians associate their adoptive country.

Furthermore, an oath of allegiance to a person and their heirs is directly at odds with my religious beliefs; I recognize the supremacy of God and God alone.

I hereby reaffirm the second part of the Oath of citizenship that I have taken earlier today; To faithfully observe the laws of Canada including the Constitution which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.

Citizen	Oath/birth date / Disavowal date	Notes
Margaret Buchan (lawyer's oath)	1993 / December 1, 2015	Margaret: When I was called to the bar in 1993 the oath included allegiance to the Queen. I still remember gritting my teeth. Now that part is optional. In case anyone cares, I DISAVOW!
Dominique Liboiron (federal employee's oath)	May, 2003 / March 17, 2016	I, Dominique Liboiron, publicly disavow the allegiance I swore to Queen Elizabeth II and her successors. I was led to believe this is a condition of employment with the federal government and was told that I wouldn't be paid until I signed the oath. Coercion isn't a Canadian value. Neither should be submission to a foreign monarch. I encourage you to speak with your elected officials to express your desire for Canada to detach itself from the royal family. I'm embarrassed that so many citizens don't want Canada to stand on its own two feet. We are no longer an English colony.
Tom McMahon (lawyer's / federal employee's oath)	1986 and 1991 / November 24, 2016	Tom: I likely swore an oath of allegiance to the Queen when I became a lawyer in Manitoba in 1986 and/or when I joined the federal public service in 1991. To be clear, I wish to ensure that I am on record as disavowing any such oath. I feel no allegiance whatsoever to the Protestant heirs and successors of Sophia of Hanover. I completely reject the reasoning of the the Ontario Court of Appeal in McAteer. My allegiance is to a democratic Canada, the rule of law especially the values expressed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, my fellow Canadians and to honouring the treaties and indigenous rights of the original peoples of this land. Read Tom McMahon's article Reconcile this: Canada's Oath to the Queen, the Doctrine of Discovery, Indigenous Peoples, New Canadians and Freedom of Expression.
Mark Faccia (Canadian by birth)	September 29, 1985 / September 29, 2017	Mark: On this date of my 32nd birthday, I rescind any assumed allegiance to the crown of the United Kingdom as defined by my Canadian citizenry. It is a detestable practice to demand loyalty to a bygone empire as a requirement of citizenship to this free country.
Nick Marchese (Canadian by birth)	1962 / January 1, 2018	Nick: Surely, a monarchical system of governance is antithetical to all of us who believe in true democracy and that we are equal under the law. Thus, I want to make public my disavowal of allegiance to a monarchy or any undemocratic institution.

Citizen

Oath/birth date / Disavowal date

Notes

Margaret Buchan
(lawyer's oath)

1993 / December 1, 2015

Margaret: When I was called to the bar in 1993 the oath included allegiance to the Queen. I still remember gritting my teeth. Now that part is optional.

In case anyone cares, I DISAVOW!

Dominique Liboiron
(federal employee's oath)

May, 2003 / March 17, 2016

I, Dominique Liboiron, publicly disavow the allegiance I swore to Queen Elizabeth II and her successors. I was led to believe this is a condition of employment with the federal government and was told that I wouldn't be paid until I signed the oath. Coercion isn't a Canadian value. Neither should be submission to a foreign monarch. I encourage you to speak with your elected officials to express your desire for Canada to detach itself from the royal family. I'm embarrassed that so many citizens don't want Canada to stand on its own two feet. We are no longer an English colony.

Tom McMahon
(lawyer's / federal employee's oath)

1986 and 1991 / November 24, 2016

Tom: I likely swore an oath of allegiance to the Queen when I became a lawyer in Manitoba in 1986 and/or when I joined the federal public service in 1991. To be clear, I wish to ensure that I am on record as disavowing any such oath. I feel no allegiance whatsoever to the Protestant heirs and successors of Sophia of Hanover. I completely reject the reasoning of the the Ontario Court of Appeal in McAteer. My allegiance is to a democratic Canada, the rule of law especially the values expressed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, my fellow Canadians and to honouring the treaties and indigenous rights of the original peoples of this land.

Read Tom McMahon's article Reconcile this: Canada's Oath to the Queen, the Doctrine of Discovery, Indigenous Peoples, New Canadians and Freedom of Expression.

Mark Faccia
(Canadian by birth)

September 29, 1985 / September 29, 2017

Mark: On this date of my 32nd birthday, I rescind any assumed allegiance to the crown of the United Kingdom as defined by my Canadian citizenry. It is a detestable practice to demand loyalty to a bygone empire as a requirement of citizenship to this free country.

Nick Marchese
(Canadian by birth)

1962 / January 1, 2018

Nick: Surely, a monarchical system of governance is antithetical to all of us who believe in true democracy and that we are equal under the law. Thus, I want to make public my disavowal of allegiance to a monarchy or any undemocratic institution.