Talk:Speech from the Throne

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The Speech from the throne is written by the majority in the lower house of parliment in all cases? That seems unlikely.

That isn't entirely true; here in Canada, the Speech from the Throne is being written by the Conservative Party, which is 30 seats short of a majority. Perhaps it should be noted, instead, that the Speech from the Throne is generally written by the Cabinet.

Right...

Contents 1 Effect of the Speech 2 Who opened the UK parliament when the Queen could not? 3 2006 4 Queen's Speech 5 Canadian provinces 6 Photo 7 Name change: Queen's Speech 8 Change wording

[edit] Effect of the Speech

Perhaps it should be noted that here in Canada (as is quite probably the case in the United Kingdom), the House of Commons must pass a motion to give an address to the Queen (or the Governor General) in response to the speech and that, theoretically, a government can be defeated (thereby dissolving the House or forcing resignation) if the House negatives the motion.

[edit] Who opened the UK parliament when the Queen could not?

There's a reference on the official royal website (as of April 2006 at http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page4830.asp ) to the fact that she didnt open the UK Parliament in 1959 or 1963 due to being pregnant. Who took her place?

In those years Parliament was opened by Commission: the Lord Chancellor read the Queen's speech. - Nunh-huh 23:27, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

This was necessary as well, because the heir-apparent (Prince Charles) was a minor (ages 11 & 15). Today, Charles would open Parliament in the Queen's absence. If anyone can find a reliable source, it should be added to the article. GoodDay 18:09, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] 2006

We need a more up to date photo; how about the 2006 opening of Parliament. GoodDay 18:13, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

Here are a couple of photos of the most recent Speech from the Throne, from the Governor General's site: [1] and [2]. --thirty-seven 20:18, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

That's cool, do you have any of the British speech from the throne (2006)? GoodDay 01:29, 17 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Queen's Speech

I have never, ever heard the Queen's Speech referred to as the "Speech from the Throne", yet "Queen's Speech" ridirects here. Unless we get an official citation that "Speech from the Throne" is the proper name of the Queen's Speech, then I suggest we re-name this article, or split it in two. TharkunColl 09:35, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

Her speech is called the "Speech from the Throne" in Canada, at least. I don't know by what other names it's known in other countries. --G2bambino 17:14, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Canadian provinces

In Canada, the Constitution Act, 1867 was written in such a way that the Queen does not form a part of the provincial parliaments, only the pertinent Lieutenant Governor does

Is this true? Almost everything I read on WP about the division of the monarchy in Canada said that basically Canada is split into 11 Crown divisions, 1 federal and 10 provincial, so each province's Lieutenant-Governor is the direct representative of the Queen. That would seem to indicate that the Queen would have every right to read the Speech from the Throne in the provinces; I would suspect it just wouldn't be a fair use of her time... Anyone know anything about this, or know of any source which would justify this statement? It seems to me that the Queen has just as much of a place in provincial parliament as she would in federal parliament. Endasil 22:46, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

I alwasy thought that was the case. The Queen could read a provincial throne speech. GoodDay 22:18, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

There's some issue around whether or not the Queen can grant Royal Assent to provincial bills, but I've no idea about whether or not she can read a throne speech in a provincial legislature. She's addressed the Alberta legislature, but it technically wasn't a throne speech. --G2bambino 22:41, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Photo

Per Wikipedia:Non-free content, we should not be using a copyrighted photo (like Image:EIIR-Canadian Parliament.jpg) when we have a free one, like the current Tweedsmuir photo. I don't see any special reason for why we need the Queen photo and I doubt it was pass a fair use rationale. If anything, it gives non-Canadians the impression the Queen gives Canadian throne speeches. Nonetheless, this is a legal issue. --Padraic 16:15, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

Well, first off the photo clearly shows that the Queen does indeed give Canadian throne speeches. Just not that often. I think the photo is important to show that, on the odd occasion, the Queen herself can deliver the throne speech outside of the UK; she's done so in Jamaica, New Zealand, and Australia as well. I'm not sure, though, if the text of the article mentions anything about this though; if not, then it probably should. --G2bambino 17:24, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

Looking at WP:NFC: "Non-free content is used only where no free equivalent is available, or could be created, that would serve the same encyclopedic purpose." I think the encyclopedic purpose here is to illustrate a speech from the throne, not any specific one - right now we have two. If British monarchs have given speeches in all these countries, then find some free photos of it and I would love it. As it stands though, I think we should leave it out. --Padraic 18:30, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

I doubt you'd find any photos of a British monarch giving a throne speech outside of Britain. However, that image of a Canadian monarch giving the throne speech might serve to illustrate who can give a throne speech. For instance, it would be equally as interesting to see a photo here of whomever gave the British throne speech on the two occasions the present queen did not. --G2bambino 19:13, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Name change: Queen's Speech

I have never, ever heard the term "Speech from the Throne" used to refer to the Queen's Speech - and it is no doubt used in the Commonwealth simply because the Queen is not actually there. I suggest we therefore change the name of this article accordingly. On a basis of simple statistics, this is completely justified. The Queen has given 53 Queen's Speeches since the beginning of her reign in the UK, missing only two. Conversely, she has only ever, I believe, given two "Speeches from the Throne" in Canada, and a no doubt equally or even more paltry number elsewhere. TharkunColl 18:41, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

State Opening of Parliament says the British speech can be called the "speech from the Throne." Perhaps "Queen's speech" is merely an informal colloquialism. --G2bambino 19:11, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

We can't rely on another Wikipedia article to back up this one. It might be just as wrong, and is against Wikipedia policy. TharkunColl 19:13, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

Oh, I know. I was merely pointing out what it says on this subject. "Speech from the Throne" is more widespread, but I don't know whether or not "Queen's speech" is actually the proper title. --G2bambino 19:17, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

If 'queen's speech' is an 'informal colloquialism', it is the most commonly used one, and wikipedia articles are always named after the term most often used, not the 'formal' one. I've never heard of TSFTT, mind you this is not the same as the queen's speech at Xmas, which I imagine is more well known, so we would need to differentiate them in any article called 'queen's speech'- unless we make it about all her speeches.Merkinsmum 04:19, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Most commonly used? Where? Certainly not here in Canada, nor in Australia, where it's called, in both the federal and provincial areas, the Speech From the Throne, or, more often, Throne Speech. --G2bambino 05:21, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Maybe in those countries, but in the UK it's most commonly known as the queen's speech. Most in the UK will not have heard of TSFTT, but will know it as the QS. I described what this is, speech in parliament etc, and my partner said 'That's the Queen's Speech, maybe it's called TSFTT in his mind, but QS is what it really is.' Maybe we could just insert a sentence to the effect that 'in the UK it is often known as the Queen's Speech' in this article? But I know Tharkie would probably not be happy with that.:) Really we are only deciding which of the 2 names we make into a redirect, but please no-one do it without consensus.Merkinsmum 18:48, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Change wording

It's a constitutional convention that the monarch has to support and endorse the policies proposed by his or her ministers. So in reading the speech, the monarch does imply support of the policies. The monarch has no choice in the matter.

Roadrunner (talk) 19:45, 9 June 2008 (UTC)