Why some Canadians see King Charles as a ‘placeholder’ with coronation nearing
Global News
King Charles III hasn’t won over the hearts of many Canadians during his short reign, an Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Global News indicates.
With the first coronation of a British monarch in 70 years set for Saturday, Canadians aren’t exactly filled with excitement, a new survey suggests.
In fact, King Charles III, who ascended to the throne following the Sept. 8 death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, hasn’t won over the hearts of many Canadians during his short reign, an Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News indicates.
“Charles (has) … always been a difficult person for Canadians to assess because I think they want to like him, but certain things have held them back,” said Sean Simpson, senior vice president at Ipsos Public Affairs Canada.
“He’s sort of seen a little bit as a placeholder because Canadians do like the current Prince of Wales, Prince William.”
Ipsos, which surveyed 1,000 Canadians ages 18 and older between April 19-20, found that the monarchy as a whole has dipped in favourability since the queen’s death.
When compared to data compiled in September, 74-year-old King Charles’ approval rating sank by seven points to 37 per cent, while Queen Consort Camilla’s dropped one point to 26 per cent.
William and Kate, whose approval rating sits at 52 and 47 per cent respectively, dipped 14 points when compared with last September. William is the only monarchy member to hold a positive majority of those favourable among Canadians six months after Charles ascended to the throne. The Prince and Princess of Wales’ favourability is highest among the university-educated, Ipsos found.
As for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Megan, both have dropped in approval since the queen’s death. Down nine points, 47 per cent view Harry favourably, which is also the case for Meghan, who is down six points at 44 per cent.
Budget 2025 has $160 million for wildfire personnel, equipment, training and contracts, but the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees worries funds will focus on gear, not people.
Quebec provincial police, the fire department, paramedics and representatives from the group managing the bridge were called to the scene.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday that tariffs on Canada and Mexico are still coming, but that President Donald Trump would determine the level of the levies.
Two men remain in critical condition following a home explosion Friday in Langley, B.C. One woman is still missing, and RCMP cannot confirm if she was in the home at the time.
After floating the idea of potential tariffs on lumber, President Donald Trump ordered a probe into U.S. imports that must be completed within 270 days.
Despite an explosive exchange in the Oval Office, the Kyiv-Washington relationship is not lost, analysts say, but future U.S. support in the war effort is still undetermined.
St. Mary's Academy says the decision to shutter the program was driven by operational and resource requirements.
A recent survey from CIBC said that two-thirds of Canadians say recent economic changes, including inflation and the cost of living, have made them adjust retirement plans.
A Halifax man died after he was taken into custody Friday night for what police described as a mental health episode. The provincial police watchdog is investigating.
A B.C. entrepreneur experienced a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounter this week when a pod of dolphins chased him down while he was shooting a video on his personal watercraft.
A new idea has emerged in G7 capitals in recent years — using the cash in frozen Russian accounts, or interest earned on those accounts, to help fund Ukraine's defence.
As Ontario is still working to clean up after the back-to-back winter storms, cities like Waterloo and Toronto face challenges with snow storage facility infrastructure.
Transport Minister Anita Anand says she plans to run for re-election amid President Donald Trump's tariff threats, a shift from her original plans earlier this year.