Man who fought the monarchy oath dies without becoming a Canadian

A man who refused to take the oath of citizenship, because of his opposition to the monarchy, has died with his decades-long dream of becoming a Canadian unfulfilled.

Toronto civil-rights lawyer Charles Roach, who immigrated from Trinidad more than half a century ago, died yesterday of brain cancer at age 79.

Roach had fought to change the country’s citizenship requirements and allow people to swear an oath to Canada instead of the throne.

He said the monarchy represented a legacy of oppression, imperialism and racism.

A New Democrat MP is now calling on Ottawa to make Roach a Canadian citizen posthumously.

Andrew Cash says he tried urging Immigration Minister Jason Kenney last week to fulfil Roach’s dying wish to become a Canadian citizen by pledging allegiance to Canada. He says Kenney denied the request.

Roach, a prominent community activist, launched several legal challenges to remove the mandatory oath from the law.