Canada shows how to react to offers of British titles

IN his response to my letter (June 9) on the acceptance of British titles by Irish citizens, Cian Martin (‘Flawed case against accepting honours’ (June 30) accuses me of xenophobia — a charge I reject emphatically.

However, some of Mr Martin’s comments require a more thorough response. To draw a comparison between the awarding of imperial titles by the British monarch to Irish citizens with foreign artists being welcomed into Aosdána, as Mr Martin does, is quite frankly, bizarre.

No comparison exists. Membership of Aosdána is by peer nomination and election, and those nominated must have produced a body of work that is original and creative. The same cannot be said for the awarding of imperial titles.

Mr Martin makes the point that Queen Elizabeth grants honours to those most deserving regardless of origin. The facts suggest otherwise. It is the British government which advises the monarch on who should be the recipient of titles and, in many instances, those who are large financial donors to the political parties in Britain are rewarded with peerages or knighthoods.

Despite the fact that the issue of peerages and titles has become immersed in unsavoury and sordid controversy amid charges of “honours for cash” (with former British prime minister Tony Blair being questioned on five occasions by the Metropolitan police), it appears these archaic awards are much valued by many of Ireland’s elite and notables.

Compared with the supine and ridiculous position being adopted by the Irish State in the matter of British titles and honours, Canada, for example, is showing more backbone.

Canada has always been a loyal and active member of the British Commonwealth. Because it is not a republic, Queen Elizabeth is Canada’s head of state. Nevertheless, when it comes to matters of citizenship and sovereignty, Canada takes a very firm line.

Despite the British ancestry of most of Canada’s population, no Canadian may accept a British knighthood or peerage.

In 2001, Canada was involved in a major diplomatic row with Britain because the Blair government had advised the queen to award knighthoods to two Canadian citizens. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien accused the British of insulting Canada, stating that such titles were “not compatible with the ideals of democracy as have been developed in Canada”.

In 1999, billionaire newspaper owner Conrad Black was forced to consider renouncing his Canadian citizenship in order to be able to take a seat in the British House of Lords.

Irish democrats should demand that the Irish State adopt the same policy as Canada in this matter. Our self-respect as citizens in a republic demands nothing less. Irish republican democracy is not compatible with the monarchy and the caste-ridden system of subservience as practised in the British state. My view is that no Irish citizen should be allowed accept a British ‘title of nobility’ unless he or she is prepared to renounce their Irish citizenship.

Tom Cooper

23 Delaford Lawn

Knocklyon

Dublin 16