The two men could not be more different in character, social perspective, and behaviour. Each have their own personal flaws for sure, though one works through such challenges; the other places them at the centre of his speech, motivation, identity, and action. One is a real king, Charles the Third, by the Grace of God King of Canada and His other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth; the other, a power-obsessed real-estate developer who understands public service as a way to serve his own interests and those of allied conservative media stars and right-wing political opportunists.
Today, Tuesday May 27 2025, Canada smiles almost unilaterally as King Charles presented the speech from the Throne prior to the sitting of the Forty-fifth Federal Parliament of Canada.
“It is with a deep sense of pride and pleasure that my wife and I join you here today as we witness Canadians coming together in a renewed sense of national pride, unity and hope,” the King said.
Amid the ongoing trade war and threats to Canada’s sovereignty by U.S. President Donald Trump, the King remarked that in the past 50 years since Queen Elizabeth II read her last Canadian throne speech in 1977, the country has set an example “as a force for good.
“The ‘True North’ is indeed strong and free,” Charles said during an address on the first day of Canadian Parliament. The British King is Canada’s nonpartisan head of state even though the real power resides with the Prime Minister.
“Every time I come to Canada, a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream and from there straight to my heart,” the king said.
“I’ve always had the greatest admiration for Canada’s unique identity, which is recognized across the world for bravery and sacrifice in defence of national values and for the diversity and kindness of Canadians,” he added.
“Canada faces another critical moment. Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear and ones which the government is determined to protect,” Charles said.
Of the speech and setting Adrian Humphres writes in The National Post: “While the unusual speech by King Charles III made Tuesday’s parliamentary session more interesting to Canadians, the timing of the occasion also made Canada more interesting to the rest of the world.”
And now I turn to “the man who would be king” [Kipling] and to an analysis by Robert Reich who is one of the few who has read every word of what Trump Describes as his “big beautiful bill.” If passed by the senate it will facilitate the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in American history.
Hidden in the weeds of the 1000+ page text is a massively important though briefly stated piece of legislation that will eviscerate the power of the supreme court to lay charges of contempt against anyone including the present or any future presidents.
“No court of the United States may use appropriated funds to enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order if no security was given when the injunction or order was issued …”
[Robert Reich] “Without the contempt power, judicial orders are meaningless and can be ignored. There is no way to understand this except as a way to keep the Trump administration from being restrained when it violates the Constitution or otherwise breaks the law …”
In other words, there is no way to legally restrain the president from doing whatever he wants including breaking any law at any time.
Erwin Chemerinsky, UC Berkeley School of Law dean and distinguished professor of law notes:
“This would be a stunning restriction on the power of the federal courts. The Supreme Court has long recognized that the contempt power is integral to the authority of the federal courts. Without the ability to enforce judicial orders, they are rendered mere advisory opinions which parties are free to disregard. In other words, with this single measure, Trump will have crowned himself king.
But the provision inside the bill that neuters the federal courts is even worse. It would remove the last remaining constraint on Trump, and thereby effectively end American democracy.”
So, two kings. You choose. Some say this is incredible. Others say it has been predictable. Let’s hope that enough senators will take it down. It would return in modified form of course. Undeterred by resistance the president battle will continue his self-aggrandizing advocacy.
A good day for Canada today. No monarchist myself, but I remain grateful that I live in a “true north strong and free.”
A postscript for those who may think an aspiring king cannot be humbled: Remember Bishop Budde.
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 
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